1.
Arsenic and selenium measurements in nail and hair show important relationships to Alzheimer's disease in the elderly.
Koseoglu, E, Kutuk, B, Nalbantoglu, OU, Koseoglu, R, Kendirci, M
Journal of trace elements in medicine and biology : organ of the Society for Minerals and Trace Elements (GMS). 2021;:126684
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND RESEARCH QUESTION The relationships of Arsenic (As) and selenium (Se) to Alzheimer's Disease (AD) are not clearly known. This case-control observational study aims to investigate the possible relationship of these elements to the diagnosis and pathophysiology of the disease. METHODS This case-control observational study was performed using 40 AD patients in different clinical stages and 40 healthy control subjects, living in a similar environment with low As exposure. The levels of As and Se in nail and hair were measured with Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry. The results were analysed with regards to clinical condition, age, disease duration, sex, education, living environment, and the relationship of the two elements using Mann Whitney U test and Spearman Rho or Pearson correlation tests as appropriate. RESULTS The levels of As and Se were not related to age, disease duration, sex, education, or living environment in the study groups (p > 0.05). The levels of As and Se in hair and nail samples of all patients and patient subgroups were higher than those in the healthy subjects (p < 0.001). A positive correlation was found between the levels of As and Se in both hair and nail samples only in the patient group (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION According to the results, As and Se levels probably increase due to some metabolic or genetic factors affecting both of them together. There may be an increase in the unregulated pool (selenomethionine) and a decrease in the regulated pool of Se (selenosycteine) in AD. Our findings need verification and the subject seems to deserve more elaborate evaluations including genetic analyses and analysis of different chemical forms of these elements.
2.
[Effect of a four-week vitamin and mineral supplementation on the nutritional status and urinary excretion of arsenic in adolescents].
Monroy Torres, R, Espinosa Pérez, A, Ramírez Gómez, X, Carrizales Yáñez, L, Linares Segovia, B, Mejía Saavedra, J
Nutricion hospitalaria. 2018;(4):894-902
Abstract
INTRODUCTION adequate nutrition in adolescence is important for growth and development. There are environmental factors that cannot be avoided, such as exposure to heavy metals through natural sources such as water. Arsenic is a metalloid that can cause damage to health (alterations in nutritional status, diabetes, cancer) and it has been found in concentrations higher than those allowed in drinking water. OBJECTIVE to measure the effect of vitamin and mineral supplementation on the nutritional status and urinary excretion of arsenic in adolescents exposed to this metal through drinking water. MATERIAL AND METHODS an observational, follow-up study of a cohort was conducted to assess the efficacy of vitamin and mineral supplementation on supplementation in 45 adolescents exposed to arsenic in drinking water, who were given a daily multivitamin supplement for four weeks. Weekly nutritional status and arsenic levels in urine and drinking water were evaluated. RESULTS the basal nutritional intake was low for proteins, fiber, folic acid, vitamin B2, B6, B12, E, C, selenium and iron, increasing their consumption through the supplement during the intervention and with an increase of approximately 1 g/dl of hemoglobin in all participants. At the end of the intervention, there was an increase in fat-free mass and a decrease in the percentage of body fat. In relation to the urinary excretion of arsenic, the biggest elimination of this metalloid was observed from the first week of intervention (35.91 μg/g Cr [IC 95% = 23.2-74.8 μg/g Cr]), which was statistically significant compared to basal levels of urinary arsenic (43.2 μg/g Cr [IC 95% = 30.8-117.6 μg/g Cr]) (p < 0.05), with an average water consumption with As of 96.2 ± 7.5 μg/l. CONCLUSION four weeks of supplementation with vitamins and minerals in the adolescent population studied improved nutritional status and increased metalloid excretion significantly in the first and second week after intervention.