How not to get brain-eating worms and mercury poisoning

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, almost all of us have at least trace amounts of methylmercury—the form of mercury we most commonly encounter—in our bodies due to its sheer prevalence in the environment. However, these values ​​are usually too low to cause health problems.

While some of this may be caused by spending time near power plants, as burning coal releases a number of harmful pollutants, including mercury, people tend to ingest the chemical by eating fish, says Awadhesh Jha, a toxicologist the University of Plymouth. “Many industries are located near the coast and most of their pollutants, including mercury, are discharged into the water bodies,” he said. “So fish accumulate more of it.”

While there is little information about the number of annual cases of mercury poisoning in the United States, studies have shown that excessive exposure to mercury can cause neurodevelopmental disorders in children and put adults at higher risk of cardiovascular disease. Various national surveys in the United States have found that people with incomes of less than $20,000 per year, low levels of education, and those who consume fish more than three times a week are most exposed to mercury.

The risk is highest when eating larger fish, says Jha, because eating smaller species causes them to accumulate greater concentrations of mercury in their bodies over time. For this reason, both the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration advise pregnant women to avoid eating shark, swordfish, mackerel or tilefish because they may contain higher levels of mercury, which can affect the brain development of the unborn fetus could .

For the rest of us, Jha recommends a limit of no more than 170 grams of fish such as tuna or mackerel per week – about a single can of tuna – and generally no more than 350 grams of fish or shellfish per week. Exceeding these limits occasionally will likely have little effect, but doing so week after week increases the risk of your body having higher levels of mercury.

The topic remains controversial among scientists because eating lots of fish also has known health benefits, such as increased intake of omega-3 fatty acids, which protect against cardiovascular disease.

“Ultimately, it depends on the person and how well they metabolize toxic substances,” says Jha. “It is the genetic makeup of individuals that determines the toxicity of chemicals, including mercury.”

research has previously shown that mercury can affect the body in various ways, which can impact immune function. Common signs of mercury poisoning include joint and muscle pain, weakness, fatigue, insomnia, and excessive sweating.

Anyone suffering from mercury poisoning can be treated with so-called chelators, which remove mercury from the blood and keep it away from the brain and kidneys. However, this is a time-consuming process that can take weeks or months for symptoms to improve.

“It will gradually break down and then be metabolized and excreted, but it still depends on the mercury binding to certain proteins and other molecules in the body,” says Jha. “If this is the case, it may take longer to be eliminated from the body.”

RFK Jr. insists he is well past any ill effects of dual illness. “I offer to eat five more brain worms and still beat President Trump and President Biden in a debate,” the candidate said tweeted on Xth Wednesday. “I am convinced of the result, even with a handicap of six worms.”