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Some groups mainly eat fish they catch themselves. There, an estimated 1.5 to 17 in every 1,000 children had effects on their thinking and learning. These came from eating fish containing mercury.[1]
On this page you can read what mercury is, what the guidelines say about a level that is too low or too high, what affects your level and which values are best to look at alongside it.
Also known as: Hg, mercury level. At the lab: HGE.
Mercury occurs naturally in the earth's crust. It is released by volcanoes and by the weathering of rock. Yet most mercury is released by people: through burning coal, industry, waste incineration and mining.[1]
Mercury comes in different forms. There is metallic mercury, inorganic mercury and organic mercury, such as methylmercury and ethylmercury. Each form is harmful in its own way.[1]
Mercury is one of the heavy metals. These are found almost everywhere. That is why it is normal to have some of them in your body.[2]
Even small amounts of mercury can cause serious health problems. Mercury can be harmful to your nervous system, your digestion and your immune system. It can also affect your lungs, kidneys, skin and eyes.[1]
The WHO counts mercury among the ten chemicals of greatest concern for public health.[1]
Mercury is mainly a danger to a child still growing in the womb and to a young child. Methylmercury that reaches an unborn child is dangerous to that child.[1]
Too many heavy metals can cause symptoms. Think of nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, tingling in your hands and feet, shortness of breath, chills and muscle weakness. Memory loss, a change in behaviour or a problem with the pace or rhythm of your heartbeat are also possible.[2]
The lab (Labplusarts) uses a reference value of 0 to 10 nmol/l for mercury. The lab calls a value within these limits normal.[3]
| Value | What it can mean | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 10 nmol/l[3] | The lab calls this normal | The lab does not name a separate group |
Source: Labplusarts, reference value for mercury (HGE), list of 24 September 2026.[3]
A mercury level that is too high can point to more exposure to mercury, for example through fish, through your work or through certain medicines. Too many heavy metals in your body can be life threatening. A doctor always assesses your result together with your symptoms and with what you may have been exposed to.[2]
BioProfile is working on its own zones for each value, from risk to optimal. A doctor reviews those zones before they appear in your result.
You mainly take in mercury as methylmercury, through fish and shellfish. Large predatory fish more often contain a lot of mercury, because they eat many smaller fish.[1, 2]
You can breathe in mercury vapour during industrial processes. Have you worked for years in air with 20 μg/m3 of metallic mercury or more? Then mild signs of effects on the nervous system can appear. If you work with heavy metals, your employer may ask you to have a test regularly.[1, 2]
Mercury is found in batteries, thermometers, switches, some lamps, amalgam dental fillings, skin lightening products and other cosmetics. Skin lightening products containing mercury are banned in many countries. You can also absorb mercury through your skin, for example from certain imported medicines that contain a lot of mercury.[1, 2]
Some vaccines contain a very small amount of ethylmercury as a preservative. Your body breaks ethylmercury down quickly and it does not build up. According to the WHO, there is no evidence that this amount poses a health risk.[1]
Mercury is included in BioProfile 150. Mercury is also included in the separate BioProfile Heavy metals test.[4]
The BioProfile editorial team wrote this page on 5 October 2026 from the sources below, which we read on 5 October 2026. Every number on this page appears in one of those sources, with that source's number next to it. An expert has yet to review this page; once that review is done, the expert's name and the date of the review will appear at the top. This page explains and does not diagnose. Discuss a value outside the normal range with your GP.
