Further information

Problems associated with Mercury

Mercury is a toxin. It is a naturally occurring element that is found everywhere: in the air that we breathe, in the water that we drink and in the food that we eat.

The effects that mercury has on health were discovered centuries ago and are well documented.

It has three forms: organic, inorganic and metallic.
The organic form methyl mercury is the most hazardous to health. It can adversely affect reproduction and a variety of organs. It targets and kills neurons in specific areas of the nervous system. It is considered a teratogen in the fetal brain, which means that it can cause non-inheritable genetic mutations. The developing brain is the most sensitive to methyl mercury exposure whilst in the womb. Methyl mercury crosses the placenta easily and readily penetrates the fetal brain. Risks are higher for the developing brain of the foetus because this is the stage of most rapid growth and development, a stage where the formation of cells and their linkages are at their greatest.

Methyl mercury from fish eaten by women during pregnancy poses its greatest threat whilst the baby is in the womb, but methyl mercury can also be transmitted to babies in mother’s milk after birth.
Young babies are also susceptible because the blood brain barrier is not fully developed until after the first year of life.

The effects of mercury are very debilitating resulting in: low birth weight, severe mental retardation, cerebral palsy, deafness, blindness and seizures.
Even low level exposure in children may cause neurological and developmental impairment which is often exhibited as: delayed walking, delayed speech, and decreased performance on tests of attention, fine motor skills, language, visual-spatial abilities and memory.

It is for these reasons that women that are pregnant are given guidance for fish intake.

Metallic mercury is released into the air in the form of vapour through industrial processes and natural weathering of mercury ore containing rock. It eventually deposits into soil and water. In the sediments of rivers, lakes and oceans metallic mercury is transformed into methyl mercury within micro-organisms. Fish absorb the methyl mercury as they feed. It accumulates in the marine food chain to reach very high concentration levels in large and predatory fish.

Heavy metal content in living fish is a growing concern among governmental health authorities and environmentalists.

The Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency in the U.S. issued a joint statement in 2004 extolling the benefits of eating fish and shellfish but cautioned that pregnant women should not eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel or tilefish because they contain high levels of mercury. it is recommended that pregnant women can eat up to 12 ounces (2 average meals) a week of fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury to reduce exposure.

The UK Food Standards Agency recognises the health benefits of eating fish but advises that pregnant women should not eat shark, marlin or swordfish and limit intake of tuna. They recommend mackerel, herring, pilchard, sardine, trout and salmon as alternative ‘oily’ fish.

Our bodies can and do get rid of mercury over time so people only go over the safe levels if they eat a lot of high mercury fish regularly over many months. But it is still prudent for women to moderate intake of high-level mercury fish before conception in preparation for pregnancy.

Omega-3 fish oil supplements are tested for heavy metal such as mercury; therefore taking these supplements will reduce your potential exposure to these toxins.

Fish, particularly oily fish, should play an important part of a healthy diet it is high in protein, low in saturated fat, high in unsaturated fat and is one of the best providers of omega-3 fatty acids. When it is consumed as part of a balanced diet it is not a health risk but because of the susceptibility of the growing fetal brain women who are pregnant should watch their intake.

The recommended maximum intake of 2 meals per week of low-level mercury fish is not sufficient to meet the needs of mother and foetus during pregnancy, a mother would need to consume in the region of one portion of oily fish such as salmon every day to just maintain adequate levels of essential fatty acids. This means that fish intake needs to be supplemented with other sources of omega-3 fatty acids.

Fish oil supplements can off a pure, safe and practical source of omega-3 essential fatty acids, transferring their benefits without the risks. quality omega 3 supplements

Buy quality, pure omega fish oils