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Animal Source Foods
Published in Chuong Pham-Huy, Bruno Pham Huy, Food and Lifestyle in Health and Disease, 2022
Chuong Pham-Huy, Bruno Pham Huy
Dried fins of shark are another fish byproduct for preparing special soup in many Asian countries, especially in China, where shark fin is considered health-promoting. However, a recent publication revealed that shark fins found in the market were rich in mercury, methyl‑mercury, and arsenic, and their levels frequently exceeded mercury limits established by local authorities (153). This finding is not surprising as it is well known that big fishes such as whale, shark, and tilefish are high in mercury. Mercury and methylmercury are very toxic to the brain and the central nervous system. Arsenic is toxic to the liver, skin, lungs, and kidneys. Moreover, sharks are endangered species. Therefore, limit or avoid the consumption of shark fins.
Fetal Development and Maternal Diet
Published in Praveen S. Goday, Cassandra L. S. Walia, Pediatric Nutrition for Dietitians, 2022
Mercury is a naturally occurring element that can be harmful to the developing fetus. Mercury is turned into methylmercury in water sediment. Accumulation of methylmercury in the body can be damaging to the brain and nervous system if someone is exposed for prolonged periods. Most fish contain some amount of methylmercury; however, some fish contain higher amounts. See Table 4.6 for guidelines for fish intakes during pregnancy.
Dilution increases potency
Published in Dinesh Kumar Jain, Homeopathy, 2022
Methylmercury in blood produces various manifestations. Blood concentration of 0.1–0.5 μg/ml produces no ataxia, no visual defect, no hearing defect and no death. Blood concentration of 1–2 μg/ml of methyl mercury causes ataxia in 47% persons, visual defect in 53% cases, hearing defect in 5% cases and no death; while blood concentration of 4–5 μg/ml produces ataxia in 100% cases, visual defect in 83% cases, hearing defect in 66% cases and death in 28% cases.
Failure of chelator-provoked urine testing results to predict heavy metal toxicity in a prospective cohort of patients referred for medical toxicology evaluation
Published in Clinical Toxicology, 2022
Stephanie T. Weiss, Sharan Campleman, Paul Wax, William McGill, Jeffrey Brent
Of the 74 cases that presented with PUT and met our inclusion criteria, only 15 (20.2%) had a confirmed toxicologic diagnosis. Of these, three cases (4.3%) had a diagnosis of metal toxicity. In all three of these cases, the metal was mercury. Mercury exposure can be due to elemental, inorganic, or organic sources, with nonoccupational organic methylmercury exposure primarily due to dietary intake of mercury-containing fish [13,17]. It is important to note that organic mercury is predominantly fecally excreted, and urinary levels of mercury from this source would not be significantly increased via PUT [17]. Thus, the mercury exposures of interest here are primarily from elemental or inorganic sources such as industrial processes, thermometers, and mercury-containing consumer products such as skin lightening creams [4,8,13].
Potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in fillet tissue of common carp (Cyprinus carpio): a systematic review, meta-analysis and risk assessment study
Published in Toxin Reviews, 2021
Yadolah Fakhri, Babak Djahed, Ali Toolabi, Amir Raoofi, Abdolmajid Gholizadeh, Hadi Eslami, Mahmoud Taghavi, Mohammad reza Alipour, Amin Mousavi Khaneghah
Natural sources of Hg in the environment are volcanic emissions and weathering of Hg bearing rocks (Marrugo-Negrete et al. 2015). However, this element can pollute the environment through anthropogenic sources including coal combustion, fossil fuels, metal production especially gold, medical and municipal solid wastes incineration and emissions from the chlor-alkali process and cement production (Al Mukaimi et al. 2018). Marine and freshwater organisms are capable of bioaccumulates Hg as methylmercury and consequently poses humans at risk of heal hazards (Al Mukaimi et al. 2018). Therefore, fish and seafood consumption is considered as the major route of human exposure with Hg (Anual et al. 2018). It is believed that methylmercury can be accounted for a source of more than 90% of the total mercury in fish and seafood (Commission 2006). It is estimated that almost 95% of methyl mercury present in fish ingested by a human can inter to the bloodstreams and reach peak concentrations in blood after 4–14 h. Exposure to methylmercury is linked to developmental delays, learning disabilities, and perhaps behavioral problems due to its ability to readily cross plasma membranes, the blood-brain barrier and placenta (Anual et al. 2018).
Development of a Natural Product Rich in Bioavailable Omega-3 DHA from Locally Available Ingredients for Prevention of Nutrition Related Mental Illnesses
Published in Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 2020
Christina N. Charles, Hulda Swai, Titus Msagati, Musa Chacha
Fish oil is currently the major dietary source of omega-3 DHA. However, according to Lane and colleagues, there are several limitations to relying fish oils as a source of supply of omega-3 DHA (17). Some of these limitations include the undesirable odors, flavors, and tastes of fish oils which discourage consumers from consuming them in their pure forms and neither is traditional supplementation much appreciated. Furthermore, some fish contain high levels of methyl-mercury, which creates a risk of mercury poisoning to consumers (17). Also, some fish oils have been found to contain environmental contaminants such as dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls which dissuade its use. In addition, fish oil production has reached maximum global production and its stock is decreasing throughout the world (17), thus may not be a sustainable source of DHA, especially in resource-poor countries. This calls for development of products or formulations that are rich in preformed DHA and other health promoting compounds from other sources.