Abstract
PurposeWe aimed to evaluate age-dependent changes of six trace elements (TE) [manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), iodine (I), and selenium (Se)] over a 20-year period.MethodsTE concentrations were determined using repeated serum samples taken at baseline and after 20 years of follow-up from 219 healthy participants of the EPIC-Potsdam study, using inductively coupled plasma tandem mass spectrometry. For each TE, absolute and relative differences were calculated between the two time points, as well as the proportion of individuals within normal reference ranges. Interdependence between age-related TE differences was investigated using principal component analysis (PCA). Relationships between selected factors (lifestyle, sociodemographic, anthropometric factors, and hypertension) and corresponding TE longitudinal variability were examined using multivariable linear regression models.ResultsMedian age of our study sample was 58.32 years (4.42) at baseline and 40% were females. Median Mn, Zn, Se concentrations and Se to Cu ratio significantly decreased during aging while median Fe, Cu, I concentrations and Cu to Zn ratio significantly increased. A substantial percentage of the participants, at both time points, had Zn concentrations below the reference range. The first PCA-extracted factor reflected the correlated decline in both Mn and Zn over time while the second factor reflected the observed (on average) increase in both Cu and I over time. Overall, none of the investigated factors were strong determinants of TE longitudinal variability, except possibly dietary supplement use, and alcohol use for Fe.ConclusionsIn conclusion, in this population-based study of healthy elderly, decrease in Mn, Zn, and Se concentrations and increase in Fe, Cu, and I concentrations were observed over 20 years of follow-up. Further research is required to investigate dietary determinants and markers of TE status as well as the relationships between TE profiles and the risk of age-related diseases.
Highlights
Essential trace elements (TE) are micronutrients that are found in very small amounts in the human body
The European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)-Potsdam study is part of the prospective ongoing multicenter EPIC study which aims to investigate the relationships between nutrition, cancer, and other chronic diseases
The percentage of participants with history of hypertension significantly increased during aging
Summary
Essential trace elements (TE) are micronutrients that are found in very small amounts in the human body. They play indispensable roles for maintaining human health as they are involved in various metabolic processes and signaling pathways [1]. Interventional studies have shown that iron (Fe) supplementation along with iodine (I) supplementation markedly mitigates thyroid-related disorders [2]. Another example is the high competition between copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn); Zn ingestion has been shown to reduce Cu absorption via the modulation of the expression of metallothioneins [3]
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