Got Mercury?

Despite the many benefits of consuming a diet rich in a variety of seafood products, the risks associated with consuming the methyl mercury embedded in most of our consumable fish species must not be forgotten.  Over-exposure to methyl mercury has been linked to adverse effects in people of all ages, with fetuses and infants especially fragile to exposure to the substance.

Given the toxic effects associated with methyl mercury evidenced by several case studies and large-scale reviews, the EPA has set certain fish consumption advisories designed to provide guidelines in avoiding over-exposure to the substance from the fish many of us eat.  One of the driving forces behind these guidelines was a groundbreaking study (which can be located here) showing levels of mercury to be much higher than expected in a survey of over 100 patients in a health care facility.  In 2009, the National Lake Fish Tissue Study was released, which gave specifics on content of methyl mercury found in the lakes of US states over a studied period of four years.  Although the results were somewhat grim, the brighter side of a study like this is not only can it help to provide us (the consumers) with guidelines on how much of this fish we can safely consume, but can provide a basis for comparison for future studies after mercury-reduction interventions have been (hopefully) put into place. 

For more information on potential sources of methyl mercury and some frequently asked questions, check out the US EPA Website. 

If you are interested in being proactive about reducing your mercury exposure from consumed fish, you can use this calculator to find out how much mercury is in your diet and potentially lower your mercury intake to reduce you risk of unsafe exposure levels and improve your overall health.