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MERCURY AND METABOLIC SYNDROME COMPONENTS – A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

Chronic exposure to mercury, even at low concentrations, is known to represent an environmental risk factor for various cardiovascular diseases. Metabolic syndrome is a constellation of symptoms associated with the development of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes mellitus type 2. As a toxic metal, mercury may induce oxidative stress, inactivate several antioxidant mechanisms, and induce a chronic low-grade inflammation. Studies of mercury exposure and blood pressure have so far yielded contradictory results. Some authors confirmed the association between elevated blood and hair mercury with the increase of hypertension risk, but some other reported no association between mercury and hypertension. Sørensen et al. have found that prenatal exposure to 62 Anthropology in the Service of Global Health methylmercury led to the increased blood pressure in children of a highfish consuming population. Regarding the relationship between mercury exposure and dyslipidemia, more consistent data were obtained. Apart from most other, the results from Park et al. in 2016 showed a significant positive association between higher mercury concentration and higher HDL cholesterol in MetS men. The negative association might be explained by the fact that fish contain high level of PUFAs, which may decrease triglycerides and increase HDL cholesterol, eventually attenuating the effects of low dose mercury on the lipid profile. A great number of conducted research demonstrated interaction between mercury levels and obesity. However, Barbosa et al. in their 2001 Brazilian natives study, showed that BMI was not associated with mercury exposure from fish consumption. Several large population-based have concluded that blood mercury could be a potential risk factor for insulin resistance, while a 2013 cross-sectional study conducted by Moon et al. among members of Korean population has shown no significant relationship between the levels of toxic heavy metals (lead, cadmium and mercury) and diabetes mellitus.

mercury, metabolic syndrome, hypertension, dyslipidemia, obesity, insulin resistance

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