Mercury poisoning

Mercury poisoning refers to toxicity from mercury consumption. Mercury is a type of toxic metal that comes in different forms within the environment. The most common cause of mercury poisoning is from consuming too much methyl mercury or organic mercury, which is linked to eating seafood.

Small amounts of mercury are present in everyday foods and products, which may not affect your health. Too much mercury, however, can be poisonous. Mercury itself is naturally occurring, but the amounts in the environment have been on the rise from industrialization. The metal can make its way into soil and water, and eventually to animals like fish.

Consuming foods with mercury is the most common cause of this type of poisoning. Children and unborn babies are the most vulnerable to the effects of mercury poisoning. We can help prevent toxicity by limiting your exposure to this potentially dangerous metal.

Symptoms of mercury poisoning

Mercury is most notable for its neurological effects. In general, the US food and drug administration say that too much mercury can cause:

·         anxiety

·         depression

·         irritability

·         memory problems

·         numbness

·         pathological shyness

·         tremors

More often, mercury poisoning builds up over time. However, a sudden onset of any of these symptoms could be a sign of acute toxicity.

Mercury poisoning symptoms in adults

Adults with advanced mercury poisoning might experience:

·         hearing and speech difficulties

·         lack of coordination

·         muscle weakness

·         nerve loss in hands and face

·         trouble walking

·         vision changes

Mercury poisoning symptoms in children and infants

Mercury poisoning can also disrupt fetal and early childhood development. Infants and young children who’ve been exposed to high levels of mercury may have delays in:

·         cognition

·         fine motor skills

·         speech and language development

·         visual-spatial awareness

Mercury poisoning from fish

Methyl mercury (organic mercury) poisoning is largely linked to eating seafood, mainly fish. Toxicity from fish has two causes:

·         eating certain types of mercury-containing fish

·         eating too much fish

Fish get mercury from the water they live in. All types of fish contain some amount of mercury. Larger types of fish can have higher amounts of mercury because they prey on other fish that have mercury too.

Sharks and swordfish are among the most common of these. Bigeye tuna, marlin, and king mackerel also contain high levels of mercury.

It’s also possible to develop mercury poisoning from eating too much seafood. In small amounts, the following types of fish are okay to eat once or twice per week:

·         albacore tuna

·         anchovies

·         catfish

·         grouper

·         pollock

·         salmon

·         shrimp

·         snapper

Other causes

Other causes of mercury poisoning can be environmental or from exposure to other forms of the metal. These include:

·         broken fever thermometers

·         “silver” dental fillings

·         certain types of jewelry

·         mining for gold, and household gold extraction

·         Skin care products (Those made in the United States don’t usually contain mercury.)

·         exposure to toxic air in industrialized communities

·         CFL bulb breakage