Low doses of Mercury Changes the Way the Arteries Work

[Guest guest]

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081023222556.htm

The risk of exposure to mercury today

Humans have been exposed to different metal

pollutants such as mercury, although the possible

consequences to health are not known in depth. At

the present time, exposure to mercury is due,

mainly, to the consumption of polluted fish, to

the administration of anti-fungal agents and

Thimerosal antiseptics in vaccines and to the

inhalation of mercury vapour from some dental

re-constructions[ amalgam(mercury) fillings].

Exposure To Low Doses Of Mercury Changes The Way The Arteries Work

ScienceDaily (Oct. 27, 2008) ­ An international

team of researchers has shown that mercury is

another important factor in cardiovascular

disease as it changes the way arteries work. One

of the possible sources of exposure of humans to

mercury is by eating contaminated fish.

----------

The main effects of mercury affect the central

nervous system and renal function. Over recent

years the scientific community has reported an

increase in cardiovascular risk following

exposure to mercury, “although the mechanisms

responsible for this increase are not completely

known”, state the authors of the new study that

has been published recently in the American

Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology explain.

Ana María Briones is a researcher at the

Universidad Autónoma of Madrid (UAM) and is one

of the authors of the study. Briones explains the

aim of the investigation to SINC: “Because the

relationship between mercury and cardiovascular

risk has been explained recently, and that

cardiovascular risk is known to be related to

changes in vascular function, we intended to see

whether a relationship existed between mercury

and changes in vascular responses”.

The aim of the study was to evaluate whether

really low concentrations of mercury,

administered over a prolonged period of time,

“could have a prejudicial effect on vascular

response”, that is to say, on the way the arteries behave.

Data confirm that low doses of mercury have a

harmful effect on vascular function. Mercedes

Salaices, one of the other authors of the study,

emphasises that the impact of mercury “could be

compared to the impact produced by other more

traditional cardiovascular risk factors such as

hypertension, diabetes or hypercholesterolaemia”.

The researchers analysed whether chronic exposure

to mercury causes an endothelial dysfunction in

resistance and conductance arteries. Treatment

with mercury induces an increase in oxidative

stress, which is responsible – at least in part –

for the deterioration in vascular responses.

“Arteries contract more and relax less because

there is less nitric oxide”, the vasodilator

factor that is attacked by oxidative stress, underlines Briones.

The risk of exposure to mercury today

Humans have been exposed to different metal

pollutants such as mercury, although the possible

consequences to health are not known in depth. At

the present time, exposure to mercury is due,

mainly, to the consumption of polluted fish, to

the administration of anti-fungal agents and

Thimerosal antiseptics in vaccines and to the

inhalation of mercury vapour from some dental re-constructions

The European Environment Agency (EEA) recommended

a reference blood mercury concentration of 5.8

nanograms per milliliter (ng/ml). It is

considered that there are no adverse effects

below this level. Data reveal that the

concentration of mercury in the general

population is less than 1 ng/ml, whereas in

workers who suffer exposure in polluted zones,

the levels are between 7 and 10. The percentage

reaches up to 5.6 ng/ml amongst people who eat fish on a regular basis.

--------------------------------------------------------

Sheri Nakken, former R.N., MA, Hahnemannian Homeopath

Vaccination Information & Choice Network, Nevada City CA & Wales UK

Vaccines -

http://www.wellwithin1.com/vaccine.htm Vaccine

Dangers & Childhood Disease & Homeopathy Email classes start in December 2008