On a recent visit to my new primary care physician, I learned that the mercury level in my blood was too high. Though, I eat less than two servings of fish a week, I had been eating too much tuna, swordfish and halibut, and I was told to stop eating those fish. Anthony Pearson, MD, writes for MedPage Today on whether it’s a good idea to eat two servings of fatty fish a week.
It would not be surprising if you’ve been led to believe that you should be eating a variety of fish, particularly oily fish, to reduce your risk of heart disease. The evidence behind this thinking is from observational studies revealing that people who eat more omega-3 fatty acids are at less risk of heart disease.
Pearson, along with many other experts, have found no meaningful evidence that fish oil supplements help to prevent heart disease. But, the question is whether the quality of the evidence behind eating fatty fish is particularly good. The limited available evidence suggests that there might not be any link between eating fatty fish and reducing your risk of heart attack and stroke.
Certainly, before eating fish, you should look at the FDA advice on avoiding certain fish that are high in mercury. The FDA advises avoiding these fish: King mackerel, Marlin Orange roughy, Shark, Swordfish, Tilefish (Gulf of Mexico) and Tuna.
In addition, farm-raised salmon can have a lot of contaminants and not a lot of omega-3 fatty acids. Fresh wild salmon is far superior but also a lot more expensive.
What’s wrong with mercury? If you have high levels of mercury in your system, it could affect your central nervous system, kidneys and liver. You could experience muscle weakness, nausea and vomiting, inability to feel in the hands, face, or other areas, changes in vision, hearing, or speech and difficulty breathing.
