Correlations of trace element levels in the diet, blood, urine, and feces in the Chinese male

Biol Trace Elem Res. 2012 Feb;145(2):127-35. doi: 10.1007/s12011-011-9177-8. Epub 2011 Aug 26.

Abstract

In order to explore the associations between trace elements in dietary intake and the other three biological media (blood, urine, or feces) and inter-element interactions among the latter, we simultaneously collected 72-h diet duplicates, whole blood, and 72-h urine and feces from 120 free-living healthy males in China. Correlations among the toxic (cadmium [Cd], lead [Pb]), and nutritionally essential (zinc [Zn], copper [Cu], iron [Fe], manganese [Mn], selenium [Se], iodine [I]) elements were evaluated using Spearman rank correlation analysis based on analytical data determined by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Dietary Cd intakes were highly correlated with the fecal Cd and blood Cd levels. Inverse correlations were found for Fe-Cd and Fe-Pb in both diet versus blood and diet versus feces. Cd-Zn and Cd-Se were significantly directly correlated in the urine and feces. Cd-Se and Pb-Se were negatively correlated in blood. In addition, there existed an extremely significant association between urinary Se and urinary I. Moreover, the other two highly direct correlations were found for Se-Fe and for I-Fe in urine. Improved knowledge regarding their mutual associations is considered to be of fundamental importance to understand more the complex interrelationships in trace element metabolism.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Multicenter Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Asian People
  • China
  • Eating*
  • Feces*
  • Food Analysis*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Time Factors
  • Trace Elements* / administration & dosage
  • Trace Elements* / analysis
  • Trace Elements* / blood
  • Trace Elements* / urine

Substances

  • Trace Elements