Current Concepts: The Toxicology of Mercury – Current Exposures and Clinical Manifestations. [Review Article]

The Scientific Paper:

Thomas W. Clarkson, Laszlo Magos, and Gary J. Myers. New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). Vol. 349, No. 18. pp. 1731-1737. 2003.

Review This Scientific Paper’s Abstract:
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/short/349/18/1731

The Purpose of this Study:
These scientists review the various forms of mercury, the current levels of human exposure to these various forms of mercury, and the detectable bad effects mercury has on people.

Some Background, Methods, Results, Caveats, and Other Select Points:

• This peer-reviewed, scientific paper was published in 2003.
• The outline of this review paper is:
  1. Mercury vapor from certain types of dental fillings.
  2. Mercury vapor from liquid mercury as found in some thermometers and elsewhere in the home.
  3. Methylmercury
     • Exposure in adults
     • Exposure in the womb
  4. Thimerosal (A preservative once used in some U.S. vaccines.)
  5. References
     
     
• There is an extensive table listing the major bad effects of mercury – plus several well-done graphics:
  1. The Global Cycle of Mercury
  2. Exposure to Mercury from Fish
  3. Increase in Mercury in Fish-Easting Birds.

A Bottom Line:
All forms of mercury at high levels have bad effects on people.

The evidence is open to wide interpretation that bad effects happen when people:

1. are exposed to very low doses of methylmercury from eating fish;
2. get or already have certain types of dental fillings that contain mercury;
3. or are exposed to the mercury-containing preservative thimerosal once used in some U.S. vaccines.

Attempts to reduce such mercury exposures may pose greater health risks than those health risks believed to be caused by such mercury exposures.

The general population is exposed to mercury by three major sources:

1. Eating certain types of fish;
2. Having certain types of dental fillings in your teeth; and
3. Getting vaccinated with certain types of some vaccines that contain the preservative thimerosal.

Find This Scientific Paper for Your Review:
Current Concepts: The Toxicology of Mercury – Current Exposures and Clinical Manifestations. [Review Article]. New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). Vol. 349, No. 18. pp. 1731-1737. 2003.