Mercury Levels: What if any are acceptable?

[giftsplash]

Just got back my Quicksilver Scientific Mercury test results:

Methylmercury— 3.43 (Population Average 1.95)
Inorganic Mercury - .223 (Population Average .139)
Sum – 3.65 (Population Average .833)

Wondering if you would recommend doing the Quicksilver detox protocol?

Julie how were your results?

[Julie G]

giftsplash, what does your physician recommend based on your results? I only used the blood testing portion of the QuickSilver package. MY FMP was trying to help me save cash and only recommended follow-up on anything out-of-range. Despite eating a lot of fish, my mercury was reported at 1.4 ug/l. The reference range was <5.8 ug/l. My results suggest I fall in the 34% percentile. Interestingly, I’m in the 75%ile for strontium and cobalt. I have no idea how I’m being exposed to these .

[SusanJ]

Food?

http://www.livestrong.com/article/26925 ... ich-foods/

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/vitamins-m ... spx#cobalt

[giftsplash]

Thanks Julie,

I ordered the test myself without a doctor, I need to reach back out to Quicksilver to ask what they would recommend but my fear is that they would give advice based on monetizing their supplements.

Are you currently doing any detox for heavy metals?

[circular]

Despite eating a lot of fish, my mercury was reported at 1.4 ug/l. The reference range was <5.8 ug/l. My results suggest I fall in the 45% percentile.

I'm numbers challenged at times. Can you tell me how you get 45th percentile for 1.4 where <5.8 is the range? Just curious. It looks to me like you're doing better than that and not too bad for a fish eater. That said, my integrative doc Ackerley says any mercury is bad since it's not meant to be in the body at all. She wants me down to fish once a week and use fish oil. The problem is I have problems with fish oil and joint pain, but that's another topic.

[Julie G]

Great info, Susan! I suspect you're right. I eat loads of spinach, broccoli, celery, nuts, and fish. This might be a wake-up call to add more variety to my dietary repertoire.

Are you currently doing any detox for heavy metals

No, my FMP doesn't see my levels as problematic. FWIW, many of the supplements I regularly take have chelating properties (ALA, magnesium, probiotics) which might explain why my mercury is relatively low despite heavy fish intake which I'm reducing a bit.

I'm numbers challenged at times. Can you tell me how you get 45th percentile for 1.4 where <5.8 is the range?

LOL, I didn't. That's info reported directly by QuickSilver. I have no idea what formula they used.

[Julie G]

Apologies, Circ. I just re-checked my mercury results and I'm in the 34%ile. My bad . Does that make the math any prettier?

[cdamaden]

I believe what the percentiles are is how you compare to the entire population. So 45th percentile means you have levels that are above 45% of the population and levels below 55% of the population. That's how I read mine.

[cdamaden]

Has anyone read this recent paper:
http://journals.lww.com/epidem/Citation ... 98893.aspx
which shows that those following a gluten-free diet have higher levels of arsenic and mercury?
The theory in the popular press is that gluten-free dieters eat gluten-free processed food containing higher levels of rice.
https://arstechnica.com/science/2017/02 ... ry-levels/

[slacker]

Interestingly, I’m in the 75%ile for strontium and cobalt.

Possibly useless information, BUT...there is prescription strontium used for osteoporosis somewhere in Europe. I have seen it in supplements in the US marketed for strong bones. According to a conventionally trained MD who specializes in osteoporosis (former employer), strontium is not very helpful for prevention of fractures, and he is not sure how it got approval in Europe. The prescription dose of strontium also gives false elevation (improvement) of bone density testing, due to how it binds to bone. I doubt that you are getting that much strontium from your food!