Tuna and Mercury

C

cwrigh5

New Member
Why do most body builders eat tuna as part of their daily diet? I would think that anyone who watches what they eat and eats a healthy diet would know about the high levels of mercury in every serving of tuna. And by eating too much tuna results in the build up of mercury levels in the body, which is slowly dissolved over a long period of time. And a build up of these mercury levels could result in mercury poisoning, leading to time off from the gym or the damaging the kidney, liver, and brain.

It just seems strange to me that most people do not know that the recommended amount of tuna eaten per week without any cause for concern is 6oz.

Don’t get me I enjoy tuna as much as the other guy, but I don’t eat it b/c of the high mercury levels. And sure, you could make the argument that all fish have some levels of mercury in them, but not to the same extent as in tuna.

I just thought I get some feed back from the forum. If I’m wrong, please tell me why. Cause it’s much easier for me to eat tuna, being that it’s just a cheap product. But like I said, being a health conscious person I am aware of whatever I put in body.
 
I eat 6-12 oz. / wk, plus salmon - 6oz. isn't the only recommendational limit out there, so I feel moderate at 12. Some guys just live on it.
 
Isn't it primarily albacore tuna that people should be concerned about? Just don't eat albacore.
 
Because it's cheap protein, low in fat, and aside from some minor twtwtwtwitching and memory loss with occasional psychotic tenancies from mercury poisoning, I'm feeling fine with it. Now If I could just remember where I left my rifle.


Seriously though, the risk is mostly to women of childbearing age and girls who will become women of childbearing age. I have trouble keeping my little ones from eating mine all up though. I allow them to have two cans a month each. And they think I'm sooo mean for limiting it.
 
Not that I give a fig about the danger (I'm too nuts already to care), but is albacore tuna the most commonly used type? I mean, if it doesn't say albacore on the tin does that mean it most probably is? What about skipjack?

I must say, I prefer yellowfin tuna but it is a whole lot more expensive over here.

OK, here are some answers to my questions:

Everything you ever wanted to know about tuna but were afraid to ask...
 
Yeah, albacore has more mercury than chunk light.  Which is too bad because the albacore tastes much better.

Here is some more info on tuna and fish in general.

http://www.nrdc.org/health/effects/mercury/tuna.asp

http://www.ewg.org/issues/mercury/20031209/calculator.php

http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~frf/sea-mehg.html

http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/fishadvice/advice.html

I did find an article a while ago that suggested that the benefits of eating a lot of fish (because of the omega 3 content) for a healthy adult male greatly outweighed the hazzards of the mecury.  I'll have to see if I can find it again.
 
You all are correct. It's the albacore from what I read. Chunk light has quite a bit less mercury.

Keystone
 
I eat it because its the only protein still hanging around when i'm out of chicken fish or turkey.
 
Interesting, I always thought tuna were a small fish. The graph on the wikipedia link shows that they usually range from 1 to 4.6 meters long.
 
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