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Fish and heavy metals eat or not eat

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Fish and heavy metals eat or not eat

Fish have a high nutritional value, but environmental pollution makes them a source of heavy metals that pose a serious threat to human health. Fish have the ability to accumulate heavy metal, including lead, cadmium and mercury.

Table of Contents

1. Fish nutritional value

Fish are an easy-to-eat and full-fledged source of protein. They are also a rich and unique source of essential unsaturated fatty acids from the omega-3 family docosahexaene (DHA) and eicosapentaene (EPA) acids. Omega-3 acids are essential in the human diet because: they are involved in the process of normal vision; affect proper functioning of the nervous system; ?? they have anti-inflammatory effects; they contribute to lowering the concentration of triglycerides and increasing the amount of HDL lipoprotein (so-called good cholesterol); improve memory and resolve ability; and promote the prevention of diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, dementia, and dementia; and, in particular, they have a number of anti-tumor sites, including the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank (WHO).

2. Fish and heavy metals

Heavy metals that are dissolved in water have the ability to penetrate living organisms, including fish. Fish absorb heavy metals from the environment (water) through the respiratory system (network) and the skin, and also consume toxic compounds along with food. Most heavy metal accumulates in the intestine and liver. In the liver, higher levels of pollution occur in fish and fish species, which live in large tissues.

3. Heavy metals are characteristic

Heavy metals are commonly found in nature. Many of them, including zinc, iron, copper, manganese, nickel, selenium, play a very important biological role. They are cofactors of many enzymes and proteins. However, a significant number of heavy metals, including mostly mercury, cadmium and lead, have no beneficial function and exhibit toxic effects on animal and human health. The World Health Organization (WHO) has listed kadmium, lead and mercury among the 10 most dangerous chemicals for human health.

4. Heavy metals and human health

Heavy metals are a major threat to human health. They contribute to the development of neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders. They also adversely affect the absorption of nutrients such as iron, magnesium, zinc, copper, and selenium (O. Januszko and J. Kałuża 2019). The consequences of accumulation of heavy metals in the human body can only be revealed after a long time, sometimes after many years, and even in subsequent generations.

5. Kadm and human health

Currently, most of the surface water is contaminated with cadmium. The coastal waters of the Atlantic Ocean contain more Cadmium than the open waters. The most polluted by this element are the rivers.

6. Lead and human health

Lead is a naturally occurring element. It is present in the air, soil, plant and animal organisms. It can also migrate to water. In the human body, about 95% of lead is found in red blood cells. It accumulates in the liver, kidneys, bones, and central nervous system. Lead in low concentrations already contributes to damage to the immune systems of the blood vessels, nerves, skin, bladder, and cardiovascular systems. (A. Chwalba, B. Maksotsky, A. Machoń-Greek 2018; J. M. Afotsky-Meltsky, Kowska-Pułko, M. Romanov).

7. Mercury and human health

It is one of the most toxic elements of mercury. It is well soluble in fats, which makes it easily permeable through biological membranes. In natural conditions, it occurs in the form of organic and inorganic compounds, the former of which are more harmful to humans. It is the organic compounds mercury found in seafood and seafood that are the main source of danger to humans when it comes to this element (L. Mínguez-Alarcón et al., 2018).

8. Is it worth eating fish?

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) regularly checks and assesses human exposure to heavy metals in food and foodstuffs. EFSA has approved the maximum allowable levels for certain heavy metal products (HMFs) in the European Commission Regulation (EC) No 1881/2016 of 19 December 2016 setting the maximum levels for some pollutants in foodstuff. The European Agency for Food Safety (EFsa) is regularly examining and assessing human exposures to heavy metal in food products. The EFSA authorises the highest levels of certain heavy metallys in products (NDPs) and the highest weekly levels of heavy metal intake in foods (PTIs) in food. The highest levels for pregnant women and pregnant women in the EU and the European Union (FSA) can be calculated in accordance with the following standards:

9. What kind of fish to buy

In the context of heavy metals serious threats to humans are predatory fish and fish inhabiting pine forests (M. Marcinkowska and W. Dobicki 2014; A. Szymonik, J. Lach. 2015). In addition, a survey of conservation of large fish such as shark, tuna, trout, shrimp or swordfish contains higher amounts of methyl salts (O. Januszko and J. Kałuża 2019). In this respect, the cumulation of cadmium is 58 times higher for mint and trout (E. Łucynkowsk and V. Dobiński 2014; E. Aymonik et al., 2015).

10. Summary

Fish are a valuable source of full-fledged protein, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. They are also a potential source of toxic heavy metals, including cadmium, lead and mercury. However, the health benefits of fish consumption outweigh their toxicity. It is therefore recommended to reach for fish at least twice a week.
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