What is in this article?:
- New study links mercury in fish to heart disease
- Natural companies pioneer pollutant-free fish alternatives
First-of-its kind research shows that eating fish for heart health comes with a caveat. But from plant-based seafood to algae omega-3 supplements, natural businesses are already hip to marine-based alternatives. What does the future hold for the category?
Eating plenty of omega-3 rich-fish for heart health is a no-brainer, right? Maybe not, suggests new evidence published in the January issue of the journal Environmental Research. According to researchers, even modest amounts of mercury from fish can meddle with the endocrine system and promote inflammation, which has been tied to cardiovascular disease.
In the first study to document an association between mercury, inflammation and hormone disruption, researchers from Syracuse University looked at fish consumption, blood mercury levels and cortisol function in healthy children between the ages of 9 and 11. Although blood levels of mercury remained low for all, even a slight increase in mercury was associated with blunted cortisol cycles and increased markers of systemic inflammation.
While health experts have traditionally nudged the population toward greater fish consumption, this latest study shows that the detriments of seafood aren't always reported—or even well known. Supposedly "safe" mercury levels may not be so safe, making alternatives to seafood's nutrients and omega-3s more important.