Shark Fins & Meat Contain High Levels of Neurotoxins
In a new study, University of Miami (UM) scientists found high concentrations of toxins linked to neurodegenerative diseases in the fins and muscles of 10 species of sharks. The research team suggests that restricting consumption of sharks can have positive health benefits for consumers and for shark conservation, since several of the sharks analyzed in the study are threatened with extinction due to overfishing.
The species sampled for this study were the:
- Blacknose shark (Carharhinus acronotus)
- Blacktip shark (Carcharhinus limbatus)
- Bonnethead shark (Sphyrna tiburo)
- Bull shark (Carcharhinus leucas)
- Great Hammerhead shark (Sphyrna mokarran)
- Lemon shark (Negaprion brevirostris)
- Nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirraum)
- Atlantic Sharpnose shark (Rhizoprionodon terraenovae)
- Smooth Hammerhead shark (Sphyrna zygaena)
- Tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier)
The two toxins analyzed were Mercury and β-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA) which have been linked in recent studies to both Alzheimer’s disease and ALS.
Find the full article and link to the scientific publication here: Study Finds Shark Fins & Meat Contain High Levels of Neurotoxins Linked to Alzheimer’s Disease | The Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science at the University of Miami
