![]() Virtually all fish around the world now have detectable levels of methylmercury, some more than others. This has increased health issues in humans and has also drastically impacted wildlife. Mercury emissions have been a long-time global issue depositing toxic fumes into the atmosphere and oceans and waterways. 12Īn increase in North American consumption of fish has caused a significant rise in higher levels of mercury in humans. What hasn’t changed is that methylmercury is still a known neurotoxin that can cross the blood/brain and placental barriers, and increase the risk of birth defects, neurological problems, and developmental delays. Then, in 2017, these recommendations were inexplicably reversed - pregnant and breastfeeding women, as well as children, were encouraged to consume more fish. According to a JAMA Pediatrics study, the FDA and EPA warned expecting mothers back in 2004 to avoid the consumption of fish due to concerns about methylmercury. ![]() Individuals who ingest fish regularly are exposed to this kind of mercury. Organic mercury goes through a biological bacterial process, converting it to an inorganic compound in rivers, streams and oceans, impacting all fish and sea life. Organic mercury is the compound most often found in nature. Exposure to this compound can cause dermatitis and/or rashes, mood swings, memory loss, mental anxiety, and muscle weakness. Inorganic mercury can harm the GI tract, as well as the kidneys and nervous system. Inorganic mercury can enter the mouth and body through products such as disinfectants and fungicides. A few of the neurological ramifications can be slurred speech, tremors, mood swings, excessive shyness, irritability, insomnia, loss of coordination, and more. It is a potent neurotoxin that can impact the central nervous system. Elemental MercuryĮlemental mercury can easily cross blood/brain and placental barriers and enter nursing mothers’ breast milk. Dentists and school children are two populations who have been documented as particularly at risk for mercury exposures. Mercury poisoning can happen from breathing in vapors, skin absorption, and accidental ingestion. Potentially harmful or toxic effects occur when these products crack or break, off-gas or spill, exposing anyone nearby to accidental poisoning. Mercury is still used in many of your common household items even today. Many products to this day contain mercury. In some parts of the world mercury is used in cosmetic products, and medicinal products. Mercury is often used for its electrical properties when combined with other precious metals. With the first documented case of mercury poisoning back in 1865 1, it was revealed that mercury exposure can be lethal. Commercial use of mercury in mining, mirror manufacturing, and processing fur used in hat making was causing kidney failure, lung damage, and other potentially life-threatening conditions from daily exposure to mercury. It wasn’t until studies were done, that the harmful effects of mercury exposure were more fully understood. More recently, CFL light bulbs became touted as a way to save the environment, until the problem of mercury vapors proved them hazardous if they ever broke in the home, and difficult to dispose of safely. In the past, mercury was used in thermometers, temperature and pressure gauges, and even light switches in people’s homes. ![]() It’s a naturally occurring metal that can take both a solid and liquid form. Let’s take a closer look at the connections between mercury and your mental and physical health.Ĭommonly found in nature, mercury is a rare element found in the earth’s crust. 8,16 The problem of toxic poisoning symptoms takes on a whole new level of concern when one considers the potential risks of neurological damage over such a long time frame. 11,14,18 Though regulators carelessly assume that the amount and duration of mercury exposure are generally limited, medical studies estimate that the half-life of mercury in the brain is about 20 years. Many psychiatric symptoms are documented as characteristic of toxic exposures, including OCD, excessive anger, anxiety, depression, impaired self-esteem, and other symptoms that could easily be misdiagnosed as a mental disorder. 14 In severe cases, such as workplace exposure in the fluorescent lamp industry, other symptoms can emerge such as tremors, uncontrollable periodic shaking, and muscle rigidity. Brazilian researchers have concluded that chronic insomnia is characteristic of mercury exposure. Yes, it is possible according to studies published in the US-based Journal of Psychological Reports 18 and also according to scientific studies from international sources. ![]()
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