What is the rationale for completely avoiding King Mackerel for pregnant women and young children?
Answer
Their developing nervous systems are most susceptible to harm from excessive mercury intake
The strict advisory to completely avoid King Mackerel for specific vulnerable groups—pregnant or breastfeeding women and young children—stems from the heightened susceptibility of developing nervous systems to methylmercury. Mercury exposure during these critical developmental stages can cause harm that is often irreversible. While adults can often tolerate higher levels, the developing brains and nervous systems of the very young are significantly more vulnerable to the neurotoxic effects of excessive mercury accumulation found in high concentrations in species like King Mackerel.
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