Mercury Poisoning from eating too much Fish?

[Kaleidoscope]

One weekend while I was at the salon, sitting under the hair dryer, I came across this article in the April 2005 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine. [Note – I believe this version of the article has been shortened for the web.]

MY MERCURY POISONING
By Daphne Zuniga

Nutritionally, fish may seem like your friend. But the mercury in many fish can cause everything from miscarriage and heart problems in adults to mental retardation in babies. Actress Daphne Zuniga, who was lucky enough to get early treatment, spotlights the growing threat.

Tuna on Rye—Hold the Mercury, Please
I'm one of the most health-conscious people I know. I do yoga, meditate, hike, run. I don't eat meat, so fish has been my primary source of protein. Tuna on Caesar salad—you can't beat that for lunch. And yellowtail sushi—clean, nutritious, melt-in-your-mouth yummy. Every time I grilled fish or ordered it at a restaurant, I felt I was making a healthy choice.

Then late last year, after learning about the risk of mercury poisoning with a high-fish diet, I got tested. Just for the heck of it; I didn't expect problems. When the doctor told me my numbers were double the normal, "safe" level of mercury, I thought there was a mistake—didn't she know how healthy I was? I asked about the symptoms of mercury poisoning. Muscle aches, I was told, plus blurred vision, depression, inability to concentrate, memory loss, skin rashes. As I listened, I thought, check, check, check.

About 6 percent of women of childbearing age have levels of mercury above those deemed safe by the Environmental Protection Agency. That means their unborn children are at risk for mental retardation, learning disabilities and impaired hearing.

Mercury is a potent brain poison. How does so much of it get into our bodies? Industrial pollution—from coal-burning power plants and chemical factories—deposits toxins in our rivers, lakes and oceans, where they're ingested by fish. Twenty-one states have consumer advisories on all their freshwater lakes and rivers, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, meaning that their fish are too poisoned to eat regularly. The American Medical Association recommends that a mercury warning be posted wherever fish is sold, but I've never seen one anywhere.

After reading that article, I became a little more conscious about the amount of fish that I eat each week because I want to have healthy kids in the future and I was just wondering if anyone else limits their intake of fish because of the risk of mercury poisoning. Is this something women should truly be concerned with?

[seattleguamgirl]

I limit my fish intake due to mercury. I still eat tuna (maybe less than once a month?) but it is chunk light tuna which is supposed to contain less mercury than white meat albacore.

I also still eat tuna sashimi/sushi but again, in very low quantities and not very often.

There are so many other sources for omega-3 oils--I have been taking organic flax seed oil (one tablespoon a day with food) every day, which is an awesome source.

[Kaleidoscope]

Thanks for your input seattleguamgirl. I thought that perhaps I was one of very few women who adjusted her intake of fish because of this. I like to eat tuna so I tend to buy chunk light tuna versus white albacore because I also heard it contains less mercury.

Here is a handy guide that I found in the same article about which types of fish you can eat more servings of because they contain less mercury.
http://images.snapfish.com/344527%3A323232%7Ffp58%3Dot%3E233%3A%3D9%3A9%3D557 %3DXROQDF%3E23239838%3A%3C5%3A%3Aot1lsi

[houseblend]

I am cautious of this, too. I try to limit my fish intake to those less risky, such as salmon.

I'm curious about getting tested for my mercury level. It sounds so new-agey, though, that I worry my doctor would laugh at me for even asking. Anyone here every get tested before?

[amew]

I worry about this a lot. My best friend doesn't eat red meat or poultry, and fish is her primary protein source. She used to eat carry out sushi at least a couple times a week,in addition to grilling fish at home, ordering it everytime she was in a restaurant, etc. Knowing that she tends to eat tons of fish, her doctor suggested checking her mercury level about a year ago because she wanted to start TTC. It was astoundingly high. Her doctor recommended delaying TTC for a year while she cut down the amount of high-mercury content fish she ate and tried to get her mercury level down.

I don't eat tuna or swordfish at all anymore (I never really ate mackerel or shark or some of the other large predatory fish). I try to limit my salmon consumption due to concern over PCBs/dioxins. I have started relying heavily on trout, halibut, and tilapia to satisfy my fish needs (I avoid snapper, grouper, monkfish, and a few others due to overfishing concerns). The added benefit is that the healthier fish in terms of mercury content also tend to be less over-fished and therefore a more environmentally friendly choice as well.

[amew]

I worry about this a lot. My best friend doesn't eat red meat or poultry, and fish is her primary protein source. She used to eat carry out sushi at least a couple times a week,in addition to grilling fish at home, ordering it everytime she was in a restaurant, etc. Knowing that she tends to eat tons of fish, her doctor suggested checking her mercury level about a year ago because she wanted to start TTC. It was astoundingly high. Her doctor recommended delaying TTC for a year while she cut down the amount of high-mercury content fish she ate and tried to get her mercury level down.

I don't eat tuna or swordfish at all anymore (I never really ate mackerel or shark or some of the other large predatory fish). I try to limit my salmon consumption due to concern over PCBs/dioxins. I have started relying heavily on trout, halibut, and tilapia to satisfy my fish needs (I avoid snapper, grouper, monkfish, and a few others due to overfishing concerns). The added benefit is that the healthier fish in terms of mercury content also tend to be less over-fished and therefore a more environmentally friendly choice as well.

[Kaleidoscope]

Thanks for your feedback ladies! I didn't know if I was needlessly monitoring my fish intake and knowing that others do this makes me feel a little bit better about it.

Regarding testing, I've never gotten tested nor do I know anyone who has been but like houseblend, I wonder if my doctor would laugh at me for asking. I'm also wondering if they typically reserve this testing for vegetarians whose main source of protein is fish. Would a doctor be willing to test me since I don't fall into that category?