Metallothionein has been found to play a role in mitigating the adverse effects of mercury exposure (Woods et al., 2013). Boys in Portugal with variants in the genes for metallothionein were found to exhibit more severe behavioral symptoms. Metallothioneins are proteins that are able to bind to mercury and transport it through the body. The authors suggest that zinc could be involved in this scenario, both in that zinc could have the potential to increase the activity of metallothioneins, and also in that when metallothioneins are reduced due to genetics, they wouldn’t be available to provide the zinc and copper that the nervous system needs for proper functioning. Being aware of the possibility for genetic differences in the ability to muster the benefits of metallothioneins could help to understand why some clients may struggle with mercury exposure more than others. .
Reference:
Woods, J. S., Heyer, N. J., Russo, J. E., Martin, M. D., Pillai, P. B., & Farin, F. M. (2013). Modification of neurobehavioral effects of mercury by genetic polymorphisms of metallothionein in children. Neurotoxicology and Teratology, 39, 36–44.
Northern Nutritionals 
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