Published on 03/9/2005

Though there are many natural sources of mercury emissions such as volcanoes, geothermal springs, geologic deposits and the ocean, human activities may have doubled or even tripled natural amounts of mercury in the atmosphere within the past 150 years. In fact, according to a U.S. Global Survey, human activities have caused the atmosphere's mercury content to rise by 1.5 percent a year; and the problem is global.

In the modern era, mercury became a common ingredient in some of the following products:

Paints
Pesticides
Batteries
Fluorescent light bulbs
Skin creams
Vaccines
Non-digital oral thermometers

It is important to understand, however, that mercury is an incredibly toxic and dangerous substance; a single drop in a large lake could make all the fish in it unsafe for consumption. In the United States, coal-fired plants pump about 50 tons of mercury into the air each year: Mercury from such emissions falls out of the sky and into oceans, lakes, rivers and streams, contaminating the flesh of fish, shellfish, seals and whales.

If you are one of the unfortunate people that wind up eating these fish then you are setting the stage for future health problems. Big predators such as albacore tuna, shark and swordfish can contain as much as 100 times more mercury in their tissue than smaller fish.

According to a nationwide survey by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, one in 12 women of childbearing age already have unsafe blood levels of mercury--as many as 600,000 babies in the United States could be at risk of developing health complications. Data suggests that even tiny amounts of mercury exposure in utero could cause children to suffer from:

Slower reflexes
Language deficits
Shortened attention spans

For adults, the health risk factors are just as severe, including a strong link to heart disease, as well as Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease and the escalating rate of autism.

Still, seafood is just one of the most common sources of mercury exposure in adults.

Other Sources of Mercury Exposure

Another major source of mercury exposure: Silver dental fillings. Contrary to what many may assume, "silver" fillings are not entirely silver, for elemental mercury makes up half the substance of mercury fillings.

Studies have proven that people with mercury-containing dental fillings show an association between the number and size of the fillings and the amount of mercury found in their urine. Moreover, evidence has shown the level of mercury in the brain tissue of fetuses, newborns and young children is directly linked to the number of surface amalgam fillings the mother has.

Last, mercury contamination is also an issue concerning pediatric vaccines. In previous years, many infants received regular injections of mercury on a state-mandated, medically sanctioned schedule. The mercury in the injections is derived from a compound known as thimerosal--which has been used as a preservative in vaccines and other medicines. In light of health dangers, the Food and Drug Administration recommended thimerosal be removed from all pediatric vaccines; it has been removed from all vaccines except for one ... the influenza vaccine.

Because of such thimerosal-tainted injections, some scientists and many more aggravated parents are convinced childhood vaccines have already caused, or at least catalyzed, the growing U.S. epidemic of autism.

Discover Magazine March 2005

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

Finally, mercury is getting the attention it deserves. For the longest time I simply did not understand how the issue of mercury exposure kept dodging the radar.

Despite its well-known dangers and role as a potent neurotoxin, many naïve people increase their exposure to mercury daily in fish, have it put into their teeth and/or injected into their body in the form of the flu vaccine.

Fatigue
Irritability
Feeling "foggy headed"

The above are just a few of the signs that let you know you may be suffering from metal poisoning--a toxic accumulation of heavy metals in the soft tissues of the body. Mercury vapor is highly permeable and it will go through your skull bone like a hot knife through butter and it will stay there firmly bound to sulfur proteins in your brain causing damage to the microtubules that nourish your brain cells.

If you are concerned about potential mercury toxicity, numerous research projects in the United States and Europe indicate that chlorella, a type of green algae, can aid the body in the breakdown of metallic toxins such as mercury. This detoxification of heavy metals and other chemical toxins in the blood will take three to six months to build up enough to begin this process.

Prevent Mercury Contamination Now!

So, the key to preventing mercury contamination is to gain knowledge of the risks that may place you in danger ... and avoid them.

Fish: Whether fish come from the ocean, lakes, rivers or streams nearly all sources are contaminated with mercury, making them unsafe to eat for most of us. This is because, aside from mercury, fish contain a number of toxic substances including PCBs, radioactive materials like strontium and toxic metals like lead, chromium, arsenic and cadmium. Such toxins have become a large part of our fish supply and have been a contributor to severe health issues.

Thus, I suggest you avoid eating fish (unless you know it has been laboratory-tested and proven to be free from mercury and other toxins).

The typical rule of thumb when considering fish consumption: The larger the fish, the more mercury and PCBs it will have. Small fish like sardines are typically mercury- and PCB-free. However, if you really enjoy the taste of fish, you may want to consider wild Pacific salmon. It isn't the easiest salmon to find, as most salmon is farmed Atlantic salmon. If you have trouble finding it we have tested a brand of Alaskan Wild Red Salmon from Vital Choice several times now and have found it to be free from mercury contamination and the additional toxic substances listed above.

In addition, high-quality fish or cod liver oil is a great way to reap the benefits of fish without actually eating them. Those of you who read the newsletter regularly know I'm a fan of the Carlson's brand of fish oil and cod liver oil, as I have seen clear and often substantial improvements in my patients who use it. If you can't find the Carlson brand in your local health food store or a brand as good, for your convenience we also offer it in our store.

Dental fillings: Vapors from dental fillings, or amalgams, are continually released in your mouth and increased when you chew food or gum. Studies have found people with these fillings can have mercury vapor concentrations 10 times higher than those in people without them. Also, simple activities such as chewing gum, drinking hot liquids and brushing teeth can further increase the release of mercury.

Therefore, if you are looking to have your amalgam fillings removed and want to avoid getting worse please follow the following rule: Only see a dentist who is properly trained in removing mercury fillings. If they don't appreciate mercury toxicity they will not implement special precautions, like room air to you by nasal cannula, rubber dams and high-pressure suction to suck out the mercury vapors that are released by drilling.

Although nearly any dentist is technically qualified to replace your amalgam fillings, far less than 95 percent have any clue on how to do it properly so your risk of mercury exposure is minimized. Please avoid the mistake I have seen THOUSANDS of patients make and have your fillings replaced by a non-qualified dentist.

I made this mistake myself nearly 20 years ago. Do it right the first time and save yourself the expense and grief. If you don't personally know a qualified biological dentist, many people find one by contacting several of the health food stores in their area and ask the employees who they know. This is typically an excellent resource as they are usually networked quite well in the local health community. If you live close to our office in northwest Illinois we do have an environmental dentist here.

Vaccines: Thimerosal, which contains almost 50 percent ethyl mercury by weight, should have been removed from vaccines over six years ago, when the EPA first mandated its removal. But due to mislabeling and other problems its presence is still being felt. So much so that even package inserts, which are required to detail exactly what is in a vaccine, may not even be accurate. This means your physician may not even be aware that a toxic additive such as thimerosal is in the vaccine.

For this reason, before making a decision on vaccinating your children, I strongly urge you to do your family a major favor by reviewing the many side effects and risks involved in being subjected to this potentially life-threatening preservative. Making the effort could mean all the difference between life and death.

© Copyright 2008 Dr. Joseph Mercola. All Rights Reserved.