Eating polluted seafood can weaken your immune system, study concludes

( Natural News ) Eating fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids is good for your brain and heart health. However, an alarming study warns that consuming fish contaminated with toxins can harm your immune system. The study, published in the journal Science Advances , was conducted by researchers from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego . Polluted seafood and P-glycoprotein The toxins that contaminate fish in polluted waters also make their way to the food sold in markets. According to recent studies, eating polluted seafood can significantly damage the immune system. Researchers warn that dangerous pollutants can get lodged into the muscle tissue of certain types of fish. These pollutants can interfere with the body’s ability to eliminate toxins. (Related: Watch out – These 5 everyday products may be contaminated with plastics .) The most harmful pollutants found in fish are persistent organic pollutants (POPs), a class of toxic chemicals that reduce P-glycoprotein’s (P-gp) ability to expel toxins out of cells. P-gp is like a gatekeeper: It binds to foreign chemicals and forces them out of the body. Because of its critical function, the body needs adequate amounts of P-gp to make it insusceptible to toxins. For their study, the researchers tried to determine how effective P-gp is at expelling industrial and agricultural POPs from contaminated fish. They analyzed 10 different POPs and found that one POP called PBDE-100, a chemical used as a flame retardant in upholstery foam and plastics, attaches to P-gp ; but instead of being expelled, it works as an inhibitor and prevents P-gp from performing its defense function. The power of the elements : Discover Colloidal Silver Mouthwash with quality, natural ingredients like Sangre de Drago sap, black walnut hulls, menthol crystals and more. Zero artificial sweeteners, colors […]

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