Association between Trace Elements and Body Composition Parameters in Endurance Runners.

Gema Barrientos,Diego Muñoz,Víctor Toro,Javier Alves,Marcos Maynar,María Concepción Robles

doi:10.3390/ijerph17186563

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the possible correlations between essential and toxic trace elements of plasma with several anthropometric and body composition parameters and performance in endurance runners. Sixty-five high-level middle and long-distance runners (21 ± 3 years; 1.77 ± 0.05 m; 64.97 ± 7.36 kg; VO2 max. 67.55 ± 4.11 mL/min/kg) participated in the present study. Abdominal, subscapular, iliac crest, triceps, front thigh and medial calf skinfold thicknesses and an incremental test until exhaustion were recorded. Body, fat, muscle and bone mass were estimated. Plasma trace elements were analyzed with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Correlations and simple linear regression were used to assess the relationship between trace elements and several variables. Different skinfolds, fat mass, muscle mass and bone mass correlated positively and negatively with trace elements such as copper, manganese, selenium, vanadium, zinc, lithium, rubidium, strontium, arsenic, beryllium and lead. Lithium was related with performance. In conclusion, endurance training causes changes in the body concentrations of several trace elements that trigger modifications in body composition that may be interesting, if confirmed in the future, for the control of metabolic diseases such as obesity.

Highlights

Several anthropometric and body composition variables are known to be associated with endurance performance in elite runners [1]: body weight [2], fat and muscle weight [3] as well as different skinfolds [4,5]
In relation to Sr, we found a positive relationship with muscle mass, Gulhan et al [59] reported a study in osteoporotic women supplemented with Sr, where the concentrations of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), an anabolic hormone that promotes muscle growth, increased significantly
It should be borne in mind that the quantity of Trace elements (TEs) which we find in the same foods is variable depending on its origin as well as the possible interactions that occur as a result of their preparation, consumption and metabolism

Summary

Introduction

Several anthropometric and body composition variables are known to be associated with endurance performance in elite runners [1]: body weight [2], fat and muscle weight [3] as well as different skinfolds [4,5]. An excess of fat mass requires greater muscular effort and higher energy expenditure [6] and results in the depletion of glycogen stores, negatively affecting sport performance. Trace elements (TEs) are present in body tissues with different fundamental biological functions such as protein metabolism, bone metabolism and antioxidant function [7]. Endurance training in athletes during long periods results in the mobilization of some TEs into the circulation [8]. Toxic TEs such as arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb) and mercury (Hg) increase reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and can cause oxidative stress (OS) due to the imbalance between oxidants and antioxidants in favor of oxidants, which alters the correct functioning of thyroid hormones and the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis [11]

Objectives

Results

Discussion

Conclusion