Exposure to mercury causes Minamata disease, birth defects, neurological damage, kidney damage, heart damage and bioaccumulates in the environment - meaning that mercury concentrates within the food chain. Mercury can cause huge damage to developing nervous systems, due to mercury's capability to pass through the placental barrier and blood brain barrier.
This puts children at extreme risk to environmental exposure encountered by pregnant mothers. When mercury enters the environment it is converted into highly toxic methylmercury by the metabolic processes of certain microbes. Mercury is dangerous to the environment as it readily bioaccumulates - meaning concentration increases throughout an organism's life span. Mercury also has the capability to biomagnify - meaning that it concentrates throughout organisms up the food chain.
For humans - we know mercury is harmful to our health. The amount of mercury that humans absorb increases with age - this is a factor relating to the onset of neurodegenerative diseases that we all often associate with the aging process.
In both humans and animals, higher levels of mercury are associated with brain problems. A study in Brazilian adults found that higher levels of mercury in hair were associated with a decrease in fine motor skills, dexterity, memory, and attention One study in 1, men found that those with the highest levels of mercury were twice as likely to die from heart-related problems than men with lower levels Nevertheless, the nutritional benefits of fish likely outweigh the risks from mercury exposure — as long as you moderate your consumption of high-mercury fish Higher levels of mercury can harm brain function and heart health.
However, the health benefits of eating fish may outweigh these risks as long as you limit your intake of high-mercury fish. Mercury in fish does not affect everyone in the same way. Therefore, certain people should take extra care. At-risk populations include women who are or may become pregnant , breastfeeding mothers, and young children.
One animal study revealed that exposure to even low doses of methylmercury during the first 10 days of conception impaired brain function in adult mice Another study indicated that children exposed to mercury while in the womb struggled with attention, memory, language, and motor function 27 , Additionally, some studies suggest that certain ethnic groups — including Native Americans, Asians, and Pacific Islanders — have a greater risk of mercury exposure due to diets traditionally high in fish Pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, young children, and those who regularly consume large amounts of fish have a higher risk of problems related to mercury exposure.
Fish are an important source of omega-3 fatty acids and provide multiple other benefits. In fact, it is generally recommended that most people eat at least two servings of fish per week. However, the Food and Drug Administration FDA advises people at high risk of mercury toxicity — such as pregnant or breastfeeding women — to keep the following recommendations in mind 30 :.
Following these tips will help you maximize the benefits of eating fish while minimizing your risks of mercury exposure. This is a detailed article about the health benefits of fish. Fish is high in omega-3 fatty acids, and can help protect against many diseases. Tuna is a popular and nutritious saltwater fish, but you may worry about its mercury content.
This article reviews mercury in tuna and tells you…. When it comes to fish, there is much debate on whether the benefits outweigh potential safety concerns. This article evaluates the nutritional…. Health Effects of Exposures to Mercury. Mercury is a neurotoxin neurotoxin A substance that is known or suspected to be poisonous to nerve tissue. How someone's health may be affected by an exposure to mercury depends on a number of factors:.
The effects of mercury exposure can be very severe, subtle, or may not occur at all, depending on the factors above. On this page, you can learn more about health effects associated with the most common exposures to:. Infants in the womb can be exposed to methylmercury when their mothers eat fish and shellfish that contain methylmercury. This exposure can adversely affect unborn infants' growing brains and nervous systems.
These systems may be more vulnerable to methylmercury than the brains and nervous systems of adults are. Children exposed to methylmercury while they are in the womb can have impacts to their cognitive thinking, memory, attention, language, fine motor skills, and visual spatial skills. Metallic mercury mainly causes health effects when inhaled as a vapor where it can be absorbed through the lungs.
High exposure to inorganic mercury may result in damage to the gastrointestinal tract, the nervous system, and the kidneys.
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