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Nutrients Jul 2023Molybdenum is an essential trace element for human health and survival, with molybdenum-containing enzymes catalysing multiple reactions in the metabolism of purines,... (Review)
Review
Molybdenum is an essential trace element for human health and survival, with molybdenum-containing enzymes catalysing multiple reactions in the metabolism of purines, aldehydes, and sulfur-containing amino acids. Recommended daily intakes vary globally, with molybdenum primarily sourced through the diet, and supplementation is not common. Although the benefits of molybdenum as an anti-diabetic and antioxidant inducer have been reported in the literature, there are conflicting data on the benefits of molybdenum for chronic diseases. Overexposure and deficiency can result in adverse health outcomes and mortality, although physiological doses remain largely unexplored in relation to human health. The lack of knowledge surrounding molybdenum intake and the role it plays in physiology is compounded during pregnancy. As pregnancy progresses, micronutrient demand increases, and diet is an established factor in programming gestational outcomes and maternal health. This review summarises the current literature concerning varied recommendations on molybdenum intake, the role of molybdenum and molybdoenzymes in physiology, and the contribution these play in gestational outcomes.
Topics: Pregnancy; Female; Humans; Placenta; Micronutrients; Trace Elements; Molybdenum; Dietary Supplements; Pregnancy Complications; Pregnancy Outcome
PubMed: 37571285
DOI: 10.3390/nu15153348 -
The American Journal of Clinical... Jan 2023Selenium is an essential trace element with both beneficial and detrimental effects on health depending on dose and chemical form. Currently, there is debate on... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Selenium is an essential trace element with both beneficial and detrimental effects on health depending on dose and chemical form. Currently, there is debate on recommendations for selenium supplementation as a public health measure to improve immune function and reduce infectious disease susceptibility.
OBJECTIVES
We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of experimental studies assessing the effect of selenium supplementation on immunity-related outcomes in healthy people.
METHODS
We undertook a search of published and unpublished studies in literature databases such as PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, and clinicaltrials.gov up to 17 October, 2022, and performed a meta-analysis comparing the effects on immunity-related outcomes between Se-supplemented versus control arms. Whenever possible we assessed the nonlinear relation using a dose-response approach.
RESULTS
9 trials were included, 5 in North America, and 4 in Europe, with a duration between 8 and 48 weeks and supplementation of both inorganic and organic selenium forms. Selenium supplementation did not substantially affect immunoglobulin or white blood cell concentrations, and the dose-response meta-analysis indicated that an increase in plasma selenium concentrations above 100 μg/L did not further increase IgA levels nor T cells. An inverted U-shaped relation emerged for NK cell count, with a lower number of these cells both below and above 120 μg/L. The only beneficial effect of selenium supplementation was the increased activity for NK lysis, but the available data did not permit dose-response analysis. Cytokine levels were substantially unaffected by selenium supplementation.
CONCLUSIONS
Although some of the data suggested beneficial effects of selenium supplementation on immune function, the overall picture appears to be inconsistent and heterogeneous due to differences in trial duration and interventions, plus evidence of null and even detrimental effects. Overall, the evidence that we extracted from the literature in this systematic review does not support the need to supplement selenium beyond the recommended dietary intake to obtain beneficial effects on immune function. This trial was registered at PROSPERO (CRD42022312280).
Topics: Humans; Selenium; Trace Elements; Dietary Supplements; Immunity; Europe
PubMed: 36789948
DOI: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2022.11.007 -
Current Opinion in Microbiology Dec 2019In this review, we summarize data regarding the influence of zinc on host defenses to human pathogenic fungi and how the fungus acquires zinc to sustain biological... (Review)
Review
In this review, we summarize data regarding the influence of zinc on host defenses to human pathogenic fungi and how the fungus acquires zinc to sustain biological functions. Mammals have evolved several extracellular and intracellular mechanisms to withhold zinc from the fungus. Specific immune cells release zinc binding proteins such as calprotectin to capture the metal and deny it to the fungus. Intracellularly, several zinc binding proteins such as metallothioneins starve the fungus of zinc. The net result in both situations is depriving the fungus of a crucial micronutrient. To combat this struggle, fungi have developed means to capture zinc and store it. The mechanisms of transport for various fungi are discussed herein.
Topics: Animals; Biological Transport; Fungi; Host-Pathogen Interactions; Humans; Protein Binding; Trace Elements; Zinc
PubMed: 31132743
DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2019.04.008 -
Kardiologiia Mar 2021Selenium is an important micronutrient that is essential for the functioning of the human body. Being a component of the active center of several antioxidant enzymes... (Review)
Review
Selenium is an important micronutrient that is essential for the functioning of the human body. Being a component of the active center of several antioxidant enzymes selenium prevents cell injury by free radicals. Decline in selenium-containing enzymes results in progression of oxidative stress and chronic inflammation, which are considered as possible causes for the development of many cardiovascular diseases. This review focuses on mechanisms for prevention of myocardial and vascular injury through the adequate selenium supply to the body. The importance of monitoring and correction of the selenium status in appropriate patients is underlined.
Topics: Antioxidants; Cardiology; Humans; Oxidative Stress; Selenium; Trace Elements
PubMed: 33849425
DOI: 10.18087/cardio.2021.3.n1186 -
Clinical Nutrition ESPEN Aug 2022Continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) is essential to the management of acute kidney injury (AKI) in critical illness. Unfortunately, large quantities of...
BACKGROUND & AIMS
Continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) is essential to the management of acute kidney injury (AKI) in critical illness. Unfortunately, large quantities of micronutrients are shown to be lost in CRRT effluent. Current literature describes serum micronutrient values in CRRT patients to be below-reference range, yet seldom compares such values to other critically ill populations unexposed to CRRT. The aim of this study was to describe and compare the prevalence of micronutrient and carnitine deficiencies in critically ill patients at high malnutrition risk exposed to CRRT to a group of patient unexposed to CRRT.
METHODS
A retrospective chart review was conducted at Duke University Hospital using the electronic medical record. The study group consisted of patients at high malnutrition risk requiring intensive care unit (ICU) admission from 01/01/2017-12/31/2018 with one or more of the following serum micronutrient levels checked: carnitine, copper, zinc, selenium, and vitamins B1, B6, B9, and C. Micronutrient deficiencies were defined as below the reference range and carnitine deficiencies were interpreted as an acyl to free carnitine ratio (ACFR) of >0.4.
RESULTS
106 ICU patients met inclusion criteria and 46% were exposed to CRRT. At least one micronutrient deficiency was reported in 90% of CRRT patients compared to 61% patients unexposed to CRRT (p = 0.002). A greater percentage of copper (p < 0.001) and carnitine (p < 0.001) deficiencies were found among patients exposed to CRRT, while more zinc deficiencies were noted among non-CRRT patients (p = 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS
The vast majority of CRRT patients presented with micronutrient deficiencies. Clinicians should have a heightened awareness of the risk for serum copper, carnitine, and vitamin B6 deficiencies among CRRT patients. Further prospective and randomized-controlled trials are needed to better define this new category of malnutrition and test supplementation strategies to address and prevent these clinically-relevant deficiencies.
Topics: Carnitine; Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy; Copper; Critical Illness; Humans; Malnutrition; Micronutrients; Retrospective Studies; Trace Elements; Zinc
PubMed: 35871932
DOI: 10.1016/j.clnesp.2022.05.008 -
Critical Reviews in Food Science and... 2020Interactions between drugs and micronutrients have received only little or no attention in the medical and pharmaceutical world in the past. Since more and more... (Review)
Review
Interactions between drugs and micronutrients have received only little or no attention in the medical and pharmaceutical world in the past. Since more and more pharmaceutics are used for the treatment of patients, this topic is increasingly relevant. As such interactions - depending on the duration of treatment and the status of micronutrients - impact the health of the patient and the action of the drugs, physicians and pharmacists should pay more attention to such interactions in the future. This review aims to sensitize physicians and pharmacists on drug micronutrient interactions with selected examples of widely pescribed drugs that can precipitate micronutrient deficiencies. In this context, the pharmacist, as a drug expert, assumes a particular role. Like no other professional in the health care sector, he is particularly predestined and called up to respond to this task. The following article intends to point out the relevance of mutual interactions between micronutrients and various examples of widely used drugs, without claiming to be exhaustive.
Topics: Drug Interactions; Humans; Micronutrients; Trace Elements
PubMed: 30580552
DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2018.1522613 -
The British Journal of Nutrition Dec 2022Multiple micronutrient deficiencies are widespread in Ethiopia. However, the distribution of Se and Zn deficiency risks has previously shown evidence of spatially...
Multiple micronutrient deficiencies are widespread in Ethiopia. However, the distribution of Se and Zn deficiency risks has previously shown evidence of spatially dependent variability, warranting the need to explore this aspect for wider micronutrients. Here, blood serum concentrations for Ca, Mg, Co, Cu and Mo were measured ( 3102) on samples from the Ethiopian National Micronutrient Survey. Geostatistical modelling was used to test spatial variation of these micronutrients for women of reproductive age, who represent the largest demographic group surveyed ( 1290). Median serum concentrations were 8·6 mg dl for Ca, 1·9 mg dl for Mg, 0·4 µg l for Co, 98·8 µg dl for Cu and 0·2 µg dl for Mo. The prevalence of Ca, Mg and Co deficiency was 41·6 %, 29·2 % and 15·9 %, respectively; Cu and Mo deficiency prevalence was 7·6 % and 0·3 %, respectively. A higher prevalence of Ca, Cu and Mo deficiency was observed in north western, Co deficiency in central and Mg deficiency in north eastern parts of Ethiopia. Serum Ca, Mg and Mo concentrations show spatial dependencies up to 140-500 km; however, there was no evidence of spatial correlations for serum Co and Cu concentrations. These new data indicate the scale of multiple mineral micronutrient deficiency in Ethiopia and the geographical differences in the prevalence of deficiencies suggesting the need to consider targeted responses during the planning of nutrition intervention programmes.
Topics: Humans; Female; Micronutrients; Trace Elements; Minerals; Malnutrition; Ethiopia; Nutritional Status
PubMed: 35109956
DOI: 10.1017/S0007114522000319 -
Environmental Research Dec 2022The increasing amount of bio-waste creates the need to develop a method for efficient management based on processes that are more environmentally friendly than...
The increasing amount of bio-waste creates the need to develop a method for efficient management based on processes that are more environmentally friendly than incineration and composting. This research aimed to utilize the waste of raspberry seeds after supercritical CO2 extraction. The biomass was enriched with micronutrients by the biosorption process to prepare micronutrient fertilizers for organic farming and biofortification of raspberries fruits. It was observed that at 100% dose of micronutrients, raspberry crop yield increased by 3%, and transfer of micronutrients to fruit biomass increased by 4.7%, 6.4%, and 8.8% (Cu, Mn, Zn, respectively) compared to commercial fertilizer. The supply of micronutrients at a dose of 150% led to a significant increase in micronutrient content of 3%, 41%, and 8% (Cu, Mn, and Zn, respectively) compared to commercial fertilizer. Research shows that the application of higher doses of micronutrients leads to the enrichment of edible parts of fruits, and fertilizers ensure environmental safety. The fruits contained on average 11.5% more microelements compared to the groups fertilized with the commercial product. The fruit yield (9.09-10.4 Mg per hectare) and the sugar content (9.82-10.2%) were also the highest. The micronutrients released from fertilizers and available to plants throughout the vegetation period affect the increase in yield, especially in the case of plants fruiting several times a year.
Topics: Biofortification; Biomass; Carbon Dioxide; Fertilizers; Fruit; Micronutrients; Rubus; Soil; Sugars; Trace Elements
PubMed: 36100107
DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114304 -
Biometals : An International Journal on... Apr 2023Iron is a vital although biologically inaccessible trace nutrient for nearly all forms of life but "free" iron can be deleterious to cells and thus iron uptake and... (Review)
Review
Iron is a vital although biologically inaccessible trace nutrient for nearly all forms of life but "free" iron can be deleterious to cells and thus iron uptake and storage must be carefully controlled. The marine environment is particularly iron poor making mechanisms for its uptake and storage even more imperative. In this brief review we explore the known and potential iron uptake and storage pathways for the biologically and economically important marine brown macroalgae (seaweeds/kelps).
Topics: Iron; Phaeophyceae; Biological Transport; Trace Elements
PubMed: 36930341
DOI: 10.1007/s10534-023-00489-7 -
Nutrients Aug 2022Micronutrients are ions and vitamins humbly required by the human body. They play a main role in several physiological mechanisms and their imbalance is strongly... (Review)
Review
Micronutrients are ions and vitamins humbly required by the human body. They play a main role in several physiological mechanisms and their imbalance is strongly associated with potentially-fatal complications. Micronutrient imbalance is associated with many cardiovascular diseases, such as arrythmias, heart failure, and ischemic heart disease. It has been also observed in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), particularly in most severe patients. The relationship between cardiovascular diseases and COVID-19 is mutual: the latter triggers cardiovascular disease onset and worsening while patients with previous cardiovascular disease may develop a more severe form of COVID-19. In addition to the well-known pathophysiological mechanisms binding COVID-19 and cardiovascular diseases together, increasing importance is being given to the impact of micronutrient alterations, often present during COVID-19 and able to affect the balance responsible for a good functioning of the cardiovascular system. In particular, hypokalemia, hypomagnesemia, hyponatremia, and hypocalcemia are strongly associated with worse outcome, while vitamin A and D deficiency are associated with thromboembolic events in COVID-19. Thus, considering how frequent the cardiovascular involvement is in patients with COVID-19, and how it majorly affects their prognosis, this manuscript provides a comprehensive review on the role of micronutrient imbalance in the interconnection between COVID-19 and cardiovascular diseases.
Topics: COVID-19; Cardiovascular Diseases; Humans; Micronutrients; Trace Elements; Vitamin A; Vitamins
PubMed: 36014944
DOI: 10.3390/nu14163439