Tuna and mercury - insomnia

[Anonymous]

I have a friend who is very healthy and fit, but has been battling insomnia for a few years.

Recently in a discussion they mentioned they had tuna for lunch every day, been doing it for decades since it’s healthy protein.

He is a big dude, 6’4” and built like a quarterback, but at same time it’s usually two cans of tuna day

How likely is the mercury to harm him, or is it really just a pregnant/child concern?

[Anonymous]

Mercury poisoning leads to neurological impairment, increased risk of heart disease and some cancers, so it's not out of the realm of possibilities that mercury poisoning could lead to sleep apnea or other things leading to perceived insomnia.

He should get his mercury levels tested in his hair or blood.

[Anonymous]

Possible if he is honest about 2 cans a day for decades. But I doubt that, cause who could eat the same thing every day for decades and not need a break?

Sounds like scare mongering thread.

Tuna doesn't have much mercury.

Shellfish and crustaceans that live on ocean floor that filter water or eat off the bottom are going to have more exposure to mercury as it's a heavy dense element.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Possible if he is honest about 2 cans a day for decades. But I doubt that, cause who could eat the same thing every day for decades and not need a break?

Sounds like scare mongering thread.

Tuna doesn't have much mercury.

Shellfish and crustaceans that live on ocean floor that filter water or eat off the bottom are going to have more exposure to mercury as it's a heavy dense element.

You're completely wrong. It's the long-lived fish in the sea that accumulate the most mercury because they eat smaller contaminated fish and the heavy metal stays in their tissues without being excreted. Over the course of their lives, tuna end up ingesting significant amounts of mercury. The shorter lived shellfish and crustaceans, and small fish like sardines, cannot accumulate enough heavy metals because they're not as long-lived.

Accumulation has nothing to do with mercury falling at the bottom of the ocean! My God, where did you get that idea???

[Anonymous]

He would probably have other symptoms of mercury poisoning but it is bad to eat that much. Look up Jeremy Piven sushi mercury poisoning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Possible if he is honest about 2 cans a day for decades. But I doubt that, cause who could eat the same thing every day for decades and not need a break?

Sounds like scare mongering thread.

Tuna doesn't have much mercury.

Shellfish and crustaceans that live on ocean floor that filter water or eat off the bottom are going to have more exposure to mercury as it's a heavy dense element.

Omg please don't homeschool your kids

[Anonymous]

Light tuna has less than albacore, but tuna definitely sequesters mercury and it is not recommend to eat more than two five ounce cans WEEKLY; certainly two cans DAILY puts one at an elevated risk of mercury poisoning.

Pregnant women and children should strictly limit fish that accumulate mercury, but all adults should as well.

Some people are most comfortable with a limited diet that is repetitive; I have known plenty of people who ate the same breakfast or lunch daily for years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Possible if he is honest about 2 cans a day for decades. But I doubt that, cause who could eat the same thing every day for decades and not need a break?

Sounds like scare mongering thread.

Tuna doesn't have much mercury.

Shellfish and crustaceans that live on ocean floor that filter water or eat off the bottom are going to have more exposure to mercury as it's a heavy dense element.

Omg please don't homeschool your kids

Perhaps you should learn a little about nutrition and the world, rather than reading bait articles in junk science magazines.

[Anonymous]

How on earth does any reasonably intelligent person not know about the warnings to limit tuna consumption?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Possible if he is honest about 2 cans a day for decades. But I doubt that, cause who could eat the same thing every day for decades and not need a break?

Sounds like scare mongering thread.

Tuna doesn't have much mercury.

Shellfish and crustaceans that live on ocean floor that filter water or eat off the bottom are going to have more exposure to mercury as it's a heavy dense element.

Omg please don't homeschool your kids

Perhaps you should learn a little about nutrition and the world, rather than reading bait articles in junk science magazines.

Seems pretty established science.

https://www.fda.gov/media/102331/download?attachment

[Anonymous]

How to get this test done? Doctor is not sure it will be covered by insurance, though with insomnia combined with long term diet trends of frequent mercury that would be medically sufficient for testing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How on earth does any reasonably intelligent person not know about the warnings to limit tuna consumption?

Most of the warnings are about children or pregnant women.

For a 250 lb, 6'7" man, that seems pretty remote worry. It may be in fact nothing with that much mass -- but with the insomnia it feels like it would be worth investigating -- would a doctor agree? Is there a specialist he should see?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How on earth does any reasonably intelligent person not know about the warnings to limit tuna consumption?

Most of the warnings are about children or pregnant women.

For a 250 lb, 6'7" man, that seems pretty remote worry. It may be in fact nothing with that much mass -- but with the insomnia it feels like it would be worth investigating -- would a doctor agree? Is there a specialist he should see?

They have a special warning, but a more general warning applies to all.
"Mercury is a known neurotoxin. Too much of it is harmful to children, whose bodies and brains are still growing. In high amounts it can even be harmful to adults, causing problems with fine motor coordination, speech, sleep, and walking, and prickly sensations."