A Note on The Role of Selenium in Mercury Toxicity
If you love fish but you are concerned about mercury toxicity, there is some good news for you- many of the fish that people routinely eat are high in selenium, which may play a role in preventing the absorption of excessive mercury [15]. Still, there is a caveat. This does not mean that you can eat as many high-mercury fish as you want. However, if you do choose to eat some fish that have a higher content of the heavy metal occasionally, co-consuming enough selenium may help to negate negative effects.
The core message here is this: If you’re eating high selenium fish that is low to moderately high in mercury, the overall risk is lower. If you’re consuming fish that is high in mercury but low in selenium (i.e. shark), it’s best to avoid or to consume very rarely.
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