What types of mercury are present in the body?
Two types of mercury are present in the body: organic and inorganic. While both types are poisonous, organic mercury, 80% to 90% of which is methylmercury, is usually considered more of a hazard.
How does mercury accumulate in the body?
Normally, the body's total burden of mercury comes from the diet.
Mercury absorption is dependent on the form. Mercury vapor is almost completely absorbed by the lungs; however, pure liquid mercury will pass through the gastrointestinal tract almost completely unabsorbed. The body efficiently absorbs methylmercury from dietary sources. Methylmercury also accumulates in the body following conversion of inorganic (elemental or salt forms) mercury to methylmercury.
The distribution of mercury in the body depends greatly on the type absorbed. Inorganic mercury coming from industrial exposure predominantly deposits in the kidneys, while organic mercury from the diet will deposit in the brain.
What are the dietary sources of methylmercury?
The primary dietary source of methylmercury is seafood. Mercury is common in the aquatic food chain. The highest levels can be found in the most common aquatic foods: tuna, salmon, swordfish, halibut, trout, pike, bass, eel, and most invertebrates.
The FDA issued a warning that two cans of tuna per week would put an individual over the mercury exposure limit (10 ug/L). Additionally, the FDA has issued warnings to women to limit their seafood intake during pregnancy.
Other individuals susceptible to methylmercury poisoning are those who consume significant amounts of sushi containing species such as tuna or swordfish.
What are other sources of mercury exposure?
Environmental sources of mercury come from industrial applications, as mercury is incorporated into consumer products. Individuals working in these industries are at risk. Individuals working with dental amalgams containing mercury are also at risk of exposure.
What is the half-life of mercury in the body?
The half-life varies depending upon the type of mercury present. Inorganic mercury has a half-life of 18 to 24 days, while methylmercury is reported to have a half-life of 52 days. The extended half-life of mercury compounds is attributed to their accumulation in body tissues, predominantly liver, kidney, and brain.
Regardless of the type of mercury present, the extended half-life will result in significant accumulation if there is chronic exposure.
What is the best specimen to test for mercury exposure?
This greatly depends on the type of mercury absorbed. Inorganic mercury is generally excreted through urine, while organic mercury is excreted through feces. Both types will show up in the bloodstream. Therefore, if symptoms of mercury exposure are present, blood would be the first specimen of choice.
If a blood test is positive, a follow-up test using a 24-hour urine sample would help differentiate organic versus inorganic mercury exposure.
For workplace exposure, random urine collections are easiest and help to eliminate the possibility of an elevated result due to seafood.
Can the test differentiate organic exposure from inorganic exposure?
The test provides only a mercury concentration, whether performed on blood or serum. Based on symptoms and lifestyle, however, it should not be difficult to determine the source/type of mercury to which the patient was exposed.
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PHYSIOLOGIC EFFECTS:
A major proportion of absorbed mercury accumulates in the kidneys, neurological tissues, and liver.
Molecular mechanisms of toxicity involve oxidative stress. Once in a cell, Hg depletes intracellular antioxidants and therefore causes mitochondrial dysfunction.
Mercury releases intracellular calcium, disrupting neuronal transport, alters cell membrane integrity, interrupts microtubule formation, disrupts or inhibits enzymes, inhibits protein and DNA synthesis and impairs immune function.
Methyl mercury (organic) appears to be absorbed almost completely in the GI tract, and in this form is higher in the brain compared to other forms. It is excreted fecally and can be measured in blood; urine is not a reliable indicator of organic mercury.
Inorganic mercury accumulates in the kidneys. It is excreted in the urine and both inorganic and elemental Hg can be measured in urine and blood.
Blood and urine mercury levels correlate fairly well with each other, but not with total body burden; blood and urine mercury reflects recent exposure.
CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE:
GI symptoms, neurotoxicity (headaches, tremor, decreased mental concentration), and nephrotoxicity are common, as well as iron deficiency.
Inhaling elemental Hg vapors causes acute symptoms including cough, chills, fever, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, metallic taste, dysphagia, salivation, weakness, headaches and visual disorders. Chronic inhalation may cause cognitive impairment and personality changes.
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Anthony
Unlimited Plan Member since 2021
I have been using Healthmatters.io since 2021. I travel all over the world and use different doctors and health facilities. This site has allowed me to consolidate all my various test results over 14 years in one place. And every doctor that I show this to has been impressed. Because with any health professional I talk to, I can pull up historical results in seconds. It is invaluable. Even going back to the same doctor, they usually do not have the historical results from their facility in a graph format. That has been very helpful.
Karin
Advanced Plan Member since 2020
What fantastic service and great, easy-to-follow layouts! I love your website; it makes it so helpful to see patterns in my health data. It's truly a pleasure to use. I only wish the NHS was as organized and quick as Healthmatters.io. You've set a new standard for health tracking!
Paul
Healthmatters Pro Member since 2024
As a PRO member and medical practitioner, Healthmatters.io has been an invaluable tool for tracking my clients' data. The layout is intuitive, making it easy to monitor trends and spot patterns over time. The ability to customize reports and charts helps me present information clearly to my clients, improving communication and outcomes. It's streamlined my workflow, saving me time and providing insights at a glance. Highly recommended for any practitioner looking for a comprehensive and user-friendly solution to track patient labs!
Healthmatters is a highly-personalized health dashboard.
Instead of searching for your lab results in different places or tracking them down from different providers, Healthmatters houses, organizes, and interprets them all in one central location.
With a Healthmatters account, you can dive into the details of each biomarker and gain insights into the meaning behind your medical test data, anytime, anywhere.
For our professional users, Healthmatters provides intuitive tools that not only streamline analysis but also save valuable time when delving into your client's lab report history.
Healthmatters.io personal account provides in-depth research on 4000+ biomarkers, including information and suggestions for test panels such as, but not limited to:
You can combine all test reports inside your Healthmatters account and keep them in one place. It gives you an excellent overview of all your health data. Once you retest, you can add new results and compare them.
If you are still determining whether Healthmatters support your lab results, the rule is that if you can test it, you can upload it to Healthmatters.
While we work with many popular labs, we welcome reports from lots of other places too.
It's as simple as this: if you can get a test done, you can upload it to Healthmatters and we can interpret results from any lab out there. If laboratories can analyze it, we can interpret it.
If you’re on the hunt for a specific biomarker, contact us and we'll add it to our database. Anything from blood, urine, saliva, or stool can be uploaded, understood, and tracked with your Healthmatters account.
There are two ways to add your test reports to your Healthmatters account. One option is to input the data using the data entry forms. The other method is to utilize our "Data entry service."
Our data entry forms offer an easy, fast, and free way for you to input the reports yourself. Self-entry allows you to add an unlimited number of reports at no cost. We make the self-entry process user-friendly, providing dozens of templates that pre-populate the most popular laboratory panels and offering instant feedback on entered values.
For those who prefer assistance, we offer a "Data entry service" to help you input your data. Simply attach an image or file of your lab test results, and a qualified team member from our data entry team will add the results for you.
We support various file types, including PDFs, JPGs, or Excel. This service is particularly useful if you have many reports to upload or if you're too busy to handle the data entry yourself.
Our special data entry service makes it easy to add your results to your private dashboard. Just attach an image or a file of your lab test results, and our skilled data entry team will do the work for you. It's all done by humans, ensuring that your data is entered accurately and with personal care for each client.
Depending on your account, the data entry service can be included for free or come at an additional cost of $15 per report.
For users on the Complete monthly plan, the first report is entered free of charge, and each additional report incurs a fee of $15.
Unlimited account holders enjoy the entry of ten reports without charge. Subsequent reports are subject to a $15 fee per report.
Additionally, users on the Complete plan can upgrade to a yearly subscription from the account settings. The annual subscription includes a data entry service for five reports.
The Unlimited plan is a one-time purchase for $250, and it covers your account for a lifetime with no additional payments.
For the Complete plan, the cost is $15 per month. You have the flexibility to cancel it anytime through your account settings, ensuring no further payments. To avoid charges, remember to cancel at least a day before the renewal date. Once canceled, the subscription remains active until the end of the current billing cycle.
Additionally, you can upgrade to the yearly Advanced plan from within your account. The annual cost is $79, and it comes with a data entry service for five reports.
You can always upgrade to a lifetime version with a prorated price from a monthly or yearly subscription.
Simply log in and navigate to your account settings to cancel your subscription. Scroll down to locate the 'Cancel' button at the bottom of the page. Ensure you cancel at least one day before the renewal date to prevent any charges. Once cancellation is requested, the subscription remains active until the conclusion of the current billing cycle.
Our goal has been to make your Healthmatters account as intuitive as possible.
We’ve crafted multiple ways for you to navigate your data, whether you're glancing at a single report or delving into your historical test reports.
1. Graph View:Dive into a visual journey with our biomarker graphs, showcasing over 40 data points. Combining years of results unveils trends, empowering you to make informed decisions. Our visualization tools make it a breeze to compare and understand changes over time, even if your results are from different labs. A search function and filters simplify the exploration of extensive data, allowing you to focus on what needs attention.
2. All Tests ViewExplore neatly organized reports on a timeline, highlighting crucial details like dates, critical results, and lab/panel names. Each report opens up to reveal in-depth descriptions and additional recommendations for each biomarker. The history of previous results is just a click away, and you can download a comprehensive report for deeper insights. Color-coded and user-friendly, it's designed for easy reading, understanding, and navigation.
3. Table View:For a holistic view of all biomarkers side by side, our table view is your go-to. Results are neatly displayed in a categorized and dated table, ideal for those with an extensive test history. Utilize sorting, filters, and color-coding to enhance your analysis and gain extra insights.
Yes, you can download information from your account. We can compile your labs into a CSV file. To download all your labs, you can go to Account Settings, and at the bottom of the page, you will find a link to download your information.
Yes, you can print your report. To do so, navigate to "All tests" and open the report you wish to print. You'll find a print button in the right corner of the report. Click on it, and your browser's print window will open. If you prefer to print in a bigger typeface, adjust the scale using the print window settings.
Yes, you can! We highly recommend activating Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) for your account. To do so, please navigate to the "Profile and Security" section of your account, where you will find instructions for activating 2FA.
Yes, you can. When entering values for the biomarker, you will see an "Edit Range" button. Click this button, and you'll have the option to enter a custom range.
A personal account is all about keeping your own lab test results in check. It's just for you and your personal use.
The professional account is designed for health professionals who wish to track and organize their clients' laboratory results.
To learn more about Healthmatters Pro, please refer to the professional page.
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