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Laboratory Assessment of Trace Element and Mineral Status

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Clinical Nutrition of the Essential Trace Elements and Minerals

Part of the book series: Nutrition ◊ and ◊ Health ((NH))

Abstract

Few entirely satisfactory laboratory methods have been established for the clinical evaluation of the status of most trace elements or minerals in humans. Measurements of metalloenzyme activities have been proposed as useful assessment tests because plasma or serum trace metal concentrations are often affected by factors not related to the whole-body mineral element status. A simultaneous battery of tests involving body tissue or fluid elemental determinations, metalloenzyme assays, and functional-morphological indices provides the most reliable assessment of mineral element status. However, in a clinical diagnostic setting it is most practical to assess trace mineral status by analysis of a single blood specimen. The use of hair mineral content as an indicator of status is somewhat limited. Whereas low metal concentration in hair may be indicative of metal depletion, “normal” or high amounts do not necessarily preclude depletion or indicate toxic amounts (1), because of hair’ s susceptibility to environmental contamination and other problems. Further investigations are needed to establish the clinical value of whole blood, platelet, leukocyte, erythrocyte, saliva, skin, and fingernail analyses as indices of trace mineral nutriture.

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Authors
  1. David B. Milne PhD
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, New Jersey Medical School, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Newark, NJ, USA

    John D. Bogden PhD

  2. United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center, Grand Forks, ND, USA

    Leslie M. Klevay MD, SD in Hyg

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Milne, D.B. (2000). Laboratory Assessment of Trace Element and Mineral Status. In: Bogden, J.D., Klevay, L.M. (eds) Clinical Nutrition of the Essential Trace Elements and Minerals. Nutrition ◊ and ◊ Health. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-040-7_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-040-7_5

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Totowa, NJ

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-61737-090-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-59259-040-7

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