The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry
Volume 18, Issue 2 , Pages 75-85, February 2007

Mercury as a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases☆☆☆

  • Jyrki K. Virtanen

      Affiliations

    • Research Institute of Public Health, University of Kuopio, PO Box 1627, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding reviewer. Fax: +358 17 162936.
    • ,
  • Tiina H. Rissanen

      Affiliations

    • Research Institute of Public Health, University of Kuopio, PO Box 1627, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
    • School of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, University of Kuopio, PO Box 1627, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
    • ,
  • Sari Voutilainen

      Affiliations

    • Research Institute of Public Health, University of Kuopio, PO Box 1627, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
    • ,
  • Tomi-Pekka Tuomainen

      Affiliations

    • Research Institute of Public Health, University of Kuopio, PO Box 1627, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
    • Unit of Environmental Epidemiology, National Public Health Institute, PO Box 95, 70701 Kuopio, Finland

Received 21 November 2005; received in revised form 6 April 2006; accepted 3 May 2006. published online 22 June 2006.

Abstract 

Mercury is a heavy metal that exists naturally in the environment. Major sources include the burning of fossil fuels (especially coal) and municipal waste incineration. Mercury can exist in several forms, with the most hazardous being organic methylmercury. In waterways (lakes, rivers, reservoirs, etc.), mercury is converted to methylmercury, which then accumulates in fish, especially in large predatory fish. Fish and fish products are the major—if not the only—source of methylmercury in humans. Mercury has long been recognized as a neurotoxin for humans, but in the last 10 years, its potentially harmful effects on cardiovascular diseases (CVD) have raised a cause for concern, mostly due to the proposed role of mercury in oxidative stress propagation. Some epidemiological studies have indeed found an association between increased levels of mercury in the body and risk of CVD. There are several plausible mechanisms to explain the association; these are discussed in this review. We also review the epidemiological studies that have investigated the association between mercury and CVD.

Keywords: Cardiovascular diseases, Epidemiology, Heavy metals, Mercury, Risk factors

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☆ All listed authors contributed to this work, and all authors agreed to submit this manuscript to the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry. No part of this work has been published before, except in abstract form, and all human and animal studies have been reviewed by the appropriate ethics committees.

☆☆ This work was supported by the Finnish Cultural Foundation and the Yrjö Jahnsson Foundation (for J.K. Virtanen).

PII: S0955-2863(06)00100-8

doi:10.1016/j.jnutbio.2006.05.001

The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry
Volume 18, Issue 2 , Pages 75-85, February 2007

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