Mercury Levels in Tuna ‘Higher than Ever’ – Limit Consumption to Reduce Mercury Exposure, Poisoning

While the FDA claims you can have as much as 12 ounces a week of light tuna and up to 6 ounces of albacore, test results from the Mercury Policy Project (MPP) say these amounts are much too high. Mercury exposure through tuna, the MPP reports, is higher than ever, and kids especially should only be eating the fish on an occasional or even rare basis.

Mercury in Tuna – An Ongoing Issue

According to Medical News Today, the Mercury Policy Project has suggested children under 55 pounds should only have light tuna once per month and should never have albacore tuna. Children over this weight can have light tuna up to twice per month, though less is ideal. The exposure to mercury for children should be of even more concern for pregnant mothers, who can transfer the exposure to their unborn child. This could result in numerous negative effects, with recent research showing that ADHD could be a result of the mother’s mercury levels.

Mercury levels in the U.S. population are measures higher than in Europeans. This is largely because the European Union has tighter restrictions on food and drink. (They also recently set the stage to ban mercury used in dental fillings). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests all Americans test levels of mercury in their bodies.

The FDA’s recommendation on safe tuna eating seems more liberal than that of the Mercury Policy Project. But, this should not be surprising. After all, it’s the same agency that “regulates” Big Pharma and takes a suspicious stance against any natural healing solutions. They are the same agency that refuse to label GMO foods. So, they can’t exactly be trusted as having our well being at the forefront of their concerns.

Fish and shellfish develop an overabundance of methylmercury, a toxic form of mercury, from the water. Different fish have greater concentrations of mercury. Tuna, shark, and swordfish, for example, typically have some of the most. Methylmercury is then passed to humans when they consume the fish. Fish mercury levels are increasingly becoming a problem.

Mercury poisoning from eating too many contaminated foods can cause an abundance of health problems. Those may include: muscle weakness, loss of coordination, loss of peripheral vision, speech and hearing impairments, and red cheeks, nose, and lips in children.

Pregnant women in particular are told to steer clear of mercury-containing fish as their children can suffer cognitive impairments and compromised nervous systems.

To keep the body free of mercury, you can avoid these fish altogether. Here are several suggestions for detoxing from mercury exposure, including:

Eat fruit and vegetables, skip processed junk, and increase protein intake.
Supplement with probiotics.
Perform a heavy metal cleanse.
Perform a colon cleanse to ensure regular bowel movements.
Consume garlic and cilantro.
As a measure of prevention, avoid fish, processed foods, and various consumer products like skin whitening cream, where mercury has been sometimes been found at levels as high as 300,000 parts per million.