Methylmercury - A Serious Problem

[Changexpert]

There are two forms of mercury, inorganic and organic. Inorganic mercury is a plain mercury that we know of, denoted as Hg or Hg(II). The most common source of inorganic mercury is dental amalgams. Even though inorganic mercury is very toxic, the body does not absorb it easily, at least when it's in solid state. On the other hand, organic mercury is a type of mercury that is produced when inorganic mercury interacts with other organic compounds. The common name for organic mercury is methylmercury. The problem with methylmercury is that it can cause a lot more damage to human bodies because it can be absorbed more easily. For instance, it can penetrate cell walls and be easily absorbed in fatty acids. It can cause nerve damages and even cross blood-brain barrier (BBB) resulting in neurological damages.

Formation of methylmercury is a complex process and the research is still ongoing. When inorganic mercury is deposited in the lake or soil, it can be converted to methylmercury through diffusion, sedimentation, and methylation. Methylmercury will be consumed in the food chain, released to atmosphere via volatilization, or dispersed in the lake. Acidity in the lake determines how much inorganic mercury would be methylated; the lower the acidity level, the higher the methylmercury formation. This whole process poses two problems in today's world.

1. The whole ecosystem is becoming more acidic due to pollution, increasing methylmercury formation in the lake.
2. Methylmercury will be eventually consumed by human beings through breathing, drinking unpurified water, or eating fish/other species in the lake.

I am sure I've got your attention by now. Unfortunately, the problem gets worse. Gut health can exacerbate this issue by converting inorganic mercury into methylmercury in the body. In order to detoxify sulfide gas (H2S) in the body, thiolmethyl transferase (THT) enzyme is needed. During methylation, sulfide gas is broken down by THT, which can be combined with inorganic mercury to form methylmercury. Sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) consumes sulfate in the body while releasing sulfide gas. More sulfide gas results in more methylmercury formation. It makes so much sense why gut health is so important for our bodies to function properly.

I actually have not found a source linking human body methylation cycle to methylmercury formation, but considering the heart of methylation begins with CH3 molecule (an organic compound), there is a high chance thathuman body methylation is just as good at converting inorganic mercury into methylmercury. In that case, it is imperatitive to question the benefits of methylation. Sure it's a natural mechanism for the body to get rid of toxins and build necessary components like DNA, but would it be beneficial in the presence of inorganic mercury in the body? Maybe this is why so many people react negatively to methylation. The longer and harder methylation kicks in, the more complication can be added by methylmercury. My experiences definitely agree with this hypothesis, given the ridiculous amount of mercury level that was detected in my hair test result. In my book, chelation should not be an option, but a must for methylation to work with less "side effects."


Sources
Methylmercury Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methylmercury
Methylmercury/Sulfate Reducing Bacteria/CFS - http://www.beatcfsandfms.org/html/CheckForHg.html
Formation of Methylmercury - http://www.usgs.gov/themes/factsheet/146-00/
Acidity and Methylmercury - http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/026974919190031Q

 

[SilverbladeTE]

note that elemental mercury CAN be easily absorbed into the body, catastrophically so, because whenever it is liquid, it is also giving off vapour, and that vapour will go right through your skin (to an extent) and certainly when you breath it in (far worse)
hence dental amalgams are NOT safe. it is utterly impossible for them to be safe no matter what those ludicrous assholes in the dental business say! jeesh.

there was an incident some years ago in the US, where an idiot stole some amalgam from a dentist, took ti home, and started to melt it down in the basement of the housing block, to get the silver
the vapour killed him and two innocent people as it spread through the air, the contamination was so severe the building had to be demolished and even the basement completely dug out and removed.