Autoimmune diseases are characterized by turning our immune system into the organism’s own aggressor since it attacks cells instead of protecting them against viruses or bacteria. Now, a new study developed by the University of Michigan (USA) affirms that exposure to mercury through shellfish (even at low levels considered safe) is one of the greatest risk factors for women of reproductive age .
“We don’t have a very good idea why people develop autoimmune disorders. A large number of cases are not explained by genetics, so studying environmental factors will help us understand why autoimmunity appears and how we can intervene to improve health outcomes. In our study, exposure to mercury was highlighted as the main risk factor for autoimmunity, ”explains Emily Somers, study leader.
In fact, autoimmune diseases , among which are Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), Reactive Arthritis or Reiter’s Syndrome (SR), Sjögren’s Syndrome (SS), Basedow’s Disease (EB), Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis (HT) or Multiple Sclerosis (MS), are among the 10 leading causes of death among the female population .
For their research, the experts analyzed the data of women between 16 and 49 years old from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 1999 to 2004, discovering that the greater the exposure to mercury, the higher the rate of autoantibodies the women presented, which is a marker or precursor of autoimmune disease . These autoantibodies are unable to distinguish between healthy cells themselves and potentially harmful tissues, leading to the development of the disease.
The study, which has been published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives , emphasizes the importance of considering the type of fish that women eat. For example, lobster, sea bass, swordfish, dogfish or mackerel have the highest levels of mercury ; on the contrary, salmon, shrimp, crab, prawns, clams or canned tuna have the lowest levels.
