DOC'S DESK

     I thought this would be a good topic to revisit since this subject is constantly a source of inquiries by my patients.  I published an article on this topic a long time ago, and when I started my blog, Doc's Desk, I shuffled this article into an archives section of my website.  Well, it's time to place it on Doc's Desk.  I would recommend reading the article on Mercury Levels in Fish first and then read the following commentary I took from my archives. 

Commentary:

     My take on this article is that it does clear up some previous concerns about mercury and fish.  One minor deficiency with this article was that it did not include all specific deep-water fish that people eat.  Is a Chilean sea bass safe to eat?  I just love that fish.  Is that the same as saltwater bass?  I also concluded from this article that the longer the fish lives, the more dangerous it is to eat.  Those fish have more years to accumulate this methyl mercury in their systems.  I also concluded that a shark, which is a predator, feeds on other fish.  These fish that are eaten have had time to accumulate their share of methyl mercury.  The shark builds up the methyl mercury exponentially because of their feeding habits.

     In conclusion, avoid consumption of shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish.  I'll continue to eat my sea bass.  Doc