Mineral Intake

Fruit and Vegetable Intake Patterns, Kidney Failure, and Mortality in Adults with and without Chronic Kidney Disease in the United States

BACKGROUND

Fruits and vegetables (F&Vs) are vital components of healthy diets but may be restricted in chronic kidney disease (CKD) to avoid high-potassium intake. We previously generated F&V patterns for patients in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and demonstrated an increased prevalence of the overall low-intake pattern in patients with CKD.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the association of F&V patterns (overall low intake, high unprocessed, moderate processed, and high ultraprocessed) with the risk of kidney failure and its composite with death.

METHODS

Adults in NHANES III with valid dietary data and longitudinal follow-up for kidney failure and death were included. F&V patterns were identified using 24-h dietary recalls and latent class analysis, yielding 4 patterns. Cox models were used to evaluate the prospective association between each pattern and hazard of kidney failure or a composite of kidney failure or death over ≤20 y. Models were adjusted for demographics and select comorbidities and weighted for the complex survey design. Secondary analyses evaluated serum carotenoids as objective biomarkers of F&V intake.

RESULTS

Among 16,726 eligible participants in NHANES III, F&V consumption consistent with the high-ultraprocessed pattern associated with the highest risk of kidney failure after demographic and comorbidity adjustment, but attenuated with adjustment for kidney function. The high unprocessed pattern associated with the lowest adjusted risk of death or kidney failure combined [hazard ratio (HR): 0.73; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.65, 0.81 relative to overall low intake]. Higher-serum carotenoids were associated with a lower adjusted risk of death or kidney failure combined (HR: 0.57; 95% CI: 0.49, 0.65 for quartile 4 compared with quartile 1). Results were similar in patients with CKD at baseline.

CONCLUSIONS

Higher intake of unprocessed F&Vs was associated with better outcomes in the general population and patients with CKD. Results emphasize the need to safely improve F&V intake in CKD.

Changes in the urinary proteome of rats after short-term intake of magnesium L-threonate(MgT)

Introduction

Magnesium (Mg) is an important mineral in living organisms. Magnesium has multiple functions in the human body, wherein it plays an important therapeutic and preventive role in a variety of diseases.

Methods

Urine samples of rats before and after gavage of magnesium L-threonate (MgT) were collected, and the urinary proteome was identified using the LC-MS/MS technique and analyzed using various databases.

Results and discussion

The results illustrated that the urinary proteome of rats was significantly altered after short-term intake of magnesium supplements and that the differential proteins and the biological functions were related to magnesium. This study innovatively establishes a method to study nutrients from the perspective of urine proteomics. This work demonstrates that the urinary proteome is capable of reflecting the effects of nutrient intake on the organism in a more systematic and comprehensive manner and has the potential to provide clues for clinical nutrition research and practice.

The relationship between dietary patterns and blood mineral concentration among children in Hunan Province of China

BACKGROUND

Minerals have crucial biological functions in metabolism and are primarily obtained through diet. As a result, various dietary patterns can impact blood mineral levels. The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between dietary patterns and the concentration of calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, and copper in the bloodstream.

METHODS

Three hundred eighty healthy children (53.7% male) were recruited in a region of Hunan Province in September 2019. We gathered basic information and measured physical proportions, along with completing a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Using principal component analysis (PCA), we determined dietary patterns. To analyze mineral levels in the blood, we used flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). We utilized linear regression models to investigate if certain dietary patterns are related to mineral concentration.

RESULTS

Three dietary patterns were identified: 'Vegetables/Nuts,' 'Snacks/Beverages,' and 'Cereal/Beans.' Children from high-income families (annual average income > 50,000 yuan) prefer the 'Vegetables/Nuts' dietary pattern (P = 0.004). In comparison, those from low-income families (annual average income < 20,000 yuan) prefer the 'Snacks/Beverages' dietary pattern (P = 0.03). Following adjustment for age, gender, guardian's identity, education level, and annual household income. We found that an increase in the 'Vegetables/Nuts' pattern score (β = 0.153, CI: 0.053 ~ 0.253; P = 0.003) and 'Snacks/Beverages' pattern score (β = 0.103, CI: 0.002 ~ 0.204; P = 0.033) were significantly associated blood copper concentration.

CONCLUSIONS

Household income was found to be associated with dietary behavior. Furthermore, higher blood copper concentration was significantly correlated with the 'Vegetables/Nuts' dietary pattern and 'Snacks/Beverages' dietary pattern, but the correlation is extremely low.

Bioinorganic Modulators of Ferroptosis: A Review of Recent Findings

Ferroptosis was first reported as a separate modality of regulated cell death in 2008 and distinguished under its current name in 2012 after it was first induced with erastin. In the following decade, multiple other chemical agents were researched for their pro- or anti-ferroptotic properties. Complex organic structures with numerous aromatic moieties make up the majority of this list. This review fills a more overlooked niche by gathering, outlining and setting out conclusions regarding less prominent cases of ferroptosis induced by bioinorganic compounds and reported on within the last few years. The article contains a short summary of the application of bioinorganic chemicals based on gallium, several chalcogens, transition metals and elements known as human toxicants used for the purpose of evoking ferroptotic cell death in vitro or in vivo. These are used in the form of free ions, salts, chelates, gaseous and solid oxides or nanoparticles. Knowledge of how exactly these modulators promote or inhibit ferroptosis could be beneficial in the context of future therapies aimed against cancer or neurodegenerative diseases, respectively.

Minerals and Trace Elements in 990 Beverages and Their Contribution to Dietary Reference Values for German Consumers

Beverages are an integral part of human nutrition, yet little is known about their contribution to daily intakes of minerals and trace elements in German consumers. Using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry, we determined the concentration of five minerals and six trace elements in beverage samples (n = 990, assigned to different beverage groups) collected throughout Germany. For a calculation of their relative contribution to the mineral supply, available beverage consumption data was combined with our quantitative analysis to calculate the average contribution of beverage groups to meet the respective dietary reference values currently used in Germany, Austria and Switzerland (D-A-CH region). Based on their presence in beverages and their consumption, the top three minerals are phosphorous, calcium and magnesium, and they, therefore, may reasonably contribute to the reference values. Among the trace elements, beverages mostly contributed to the manganese supply, whereas at the same time, concentrations of iron, cobalt and copper were low across all tested groups. Our study provides an overview of the assumed mineral and trace element intake via beverages in Germany and may, thus, serve as a foundation for a mineral and trace element database of beverages that needs to be expanded in the future.

The Relationship of Children's Intelligence Quotient and Blood Lead and Zinc Levels: a Meta-analysis and System Review

The purpose of this study was to analyze the existing studies and to investigate the relationship between children's full-scale intelligence quotient (FIQ), verbal IQ (VIQ), and performance IQ (PIQ) and their blood lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) levels. All documents in Chinese and English were collected from the PubMed, Web of Science, and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases from inception date to December 30, 2016. RevMan software (version 5.2) was used for the meta-analysis and Stata software (version 12.0) for the meta-regression and sensitivity analyses. A total of 32 eligible literatures was included in the study. Seven prevalence studies showed that the blood Pb level was negatively correlated with children's IQ. The results of the meta-analysis from 22 case-control studies indicate a significant difference between FIQ and PIQ with blood Pb levels, detailed as the FIQ score with a weighted mean difference (WMD) = -6.60 (95% CI: -9.01, -4.20), P < 0.001; PIQ WMD = -8.85 (95% CI: -12.651, -5.05), P < 0.001; but VIQ WMD = -3.32 (95% CI: -6.98, 0.33), P > 0.05. Three studies on the blood Zn concentrations were with a FIQ WMD = 7.88 (95% CI: -0.07, 15.83), VIQ WMD = 7.73 (95% CI: -7.40, 22.86), and PIQ WMD = 6.69 (95% CI: -7.13, 20.51), all P > 0.05. The results indicate that Pb is harmful to children's intelligence development, especially in PIQ. Zn is beneficial to intelligence, although more studies are needed.

Copper toxicology, oxidative stress and inflammation using zebrafish as experimental model

Copper is an essential micronutrient and a key catalytic cofactor in a wide range of enzymes. As a trace element, copper levels are tightly regulated and both its deficit and excess are deleterious to the organism. Under inflammatory conditions, serum copper levels are increased and trigger oxidative stress responses that activate inflammatory responses. Interestingly, copper dyshomeostasis, oxidative stress and inflammation are commonly present in several chronic diseases. Copper exposure can be easily modeled in zebrafish; a consolidated model in toxicology with increasing interest in immunity-related research. As a result of developmental, economical and genetic advantages, this freshwater teleost is uniquely suitable for chemical and genetic large-scale screenings, representing a powerful experimental tool for a whole-organism approach, mechanistic studies, disease modeling and beyond. Copper toxicological and more recently pro-inflammatory effects have been investigated in both larval and adult zebrafish with breakthrough findings. Here, we provide an overview of copper metabolism in health and disease and its effects on oxidative stress and inflammation responses in zebrafish models. Copper-induced inflammation is highlighted owing to its potential to easily mimic pro-oxidative and pro-inflammatory features that combined with zebrafish genetic tractability could help further in the understanding of copper metabolism, inflammatory responses and related diseases. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Evaluation of Minerals, Phytochemical Compounds and Antioxidant Activity of Mexican, Central American, and African Green Leafy Vegetables

The green leafy vegetables Cnidoscolus aconitifolius and Crotalaria longirostrata are native to Mexico and Central America, while Solanum scabrum and Gynandropsis gynandra are native to Africa. They are consumed in both rural and urban areas in those places as a main food, food ingredient or traditional medicine. Currently, there is limited information about their nutritional and phytochemical composition. Therefore, mineral, vitamin C, phenolic and flavonoid concentration, and antioxidant activity were evaluated in multiple accessions of these leafy vegetables, and their mineral and vitamin C contribution per serving was calculated. The concentrations of Ca, K, Mg and P in these leafy vegetables were 0.82-2.32, 1.61-7.29, 0.61-1.48 and 0.27-1.44 mg/g fresh weight (FW), respectively. The flavonoid concentration in S. scabrum accessions was up to 1413 μg catechin equivalents/g FW, while the highest antioxidant activities were obtained in C. longirostrata accessions (52-60 μmol Trolox equivalents/g FW). According to guidelines established by the US Food and Drug Administration, a serving size (30 g FW) of C. longirostrata would be considered an excellent source of Mo (20 % or more of the daily value), and a serving of any of these green leafy vegetables would be an excellent source of vitamin C. Considering the importance of the minerals, phytochemicals and antioxidants in human health and their presence in these indigenous green leafy vegetables, efforts to promote their consumption should be implemented.

Zinc-containing yeast extract promotes nonrapid eye movement sleep in mice

Zinc is an essential trace element for humans and animals, being located, among other places, in the synaptic vesicles of cortical glutamatergic neurons and hippocampal mossy fibers in the brain. Extracellular zinc has the potential to interact with and modulate many different synaptic targets, including glutamate and GABA receptors. Because of the central role of these neurotransmitters in brain activity, we examined in this study the sleep-promoting activity of zinc by monitoring locomotor activity and electroencephalogram after its administration to mice. Zinc-containing yeast extract (40 and 80 mg/kg) dose dependently increased the total amount of nonrapid eye movement sleep and decreased the locomotor activity. However, this preparation did not change the amount of rapid eye movement sleep or show any adverse effects such as rebound of insomnia during a period of 24 h following the induction of sleep; whereas the extracts containing other divalent cations (manganese, iron, and copper) did not decrease the locomotor activity. This is the first evidence that zinc can induce sleep. Our data open the way to new types of food supplements designed to improve sleep.

Relationship of blood levels of Pb with Cu, Zn, Ca, Mg, Fe, and Hb in children aged 0 ∼ 6 years from Wuhan, China

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship of blood lead (Pb) levels with copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), and hemoglobin (Hb) in children aged from 0-6 years in Wuhan, China. A total of 1047 children from six communities, which were randomly selected in Wuhan city and three communities, located in the urban area and others in the suburban area, were recruited for this study between November 2012 and July 2013. The levels of elements in the blood were detected using an atomic absorption spectrometer, and Hb level was tested by an automated hematology analyzer. The results showed that the mean blood lead level (BLL) is 33.72 ± 19.03 μg/L. The BLL was significantly higher among boys than girls (P < 0.05). Higher BLL was also observed in suburbs compared to that in urban areas (P < 0.05). The BLL and Zn level were gradually increased with age. The elevated rate of BLL in children was 20.9 %, while the Zn deficiency rate was 65.0 %. And, the level of Hb in higher BLL group was significantly lower. Negative correlations of the blood levels of Pb with those of Cu (r = -0.087, P = 0.005), Mg (r = -0.102, P = 0.001), and Fe (r = -0.091, P = 0.003) were observed. These data suggested that the elevated rate of BLL in children from Wuhan is still higher according to the updated reference values in the USA. The deficiency of Cu, Mg, and Fe may indicate the elevation of lead absorption. The dietary supplement of Zn, Ca, and Fe in children requires more attention.

Seven dietary minerals (Ca, P, Mg, Fe, Zn, Cu, and Mn) and their relationship with blood pressure and blood lipids in healthy adults with self-selected diet

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the dietary intakes of calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), and manganese (Mn) and investigate their correlation with blood pressure and blood lipids. Targeting 258 healthy men and women, blood pressure was measured, and blood samples were collected to analyze serum lipids, and then the intakes of seven minerals were assessed through a food intake survey for 3 days using a 24-h recall method. The average age of the men and women was 49.55 and 49.19, respectively. The daily energy intake of the men was 1,830.57 kcal, which was significantly higher than that of women, 1,476.23 kcal (p < 0.001). The mineral intake of the subjects was as follows: 450.95 mg/day for Ca, 915.24 mg/day for P, 279.23 mg/day for Mg, 12.60 mg/day for Fe, 8.25 mg/day for Zn, 1.23 mg/day for Cu, and 4.22 mg/day for Mn. These accounted for 63.83, 130.76, 90.74, 129.75, 97.50, 154.49, and 113.50 % of adequate intake or the recommended intake of each mineral, respectively. Subjects who did not satisfy the estimated average requirement were 74.00 % for Ca, 63.18 % for Mg, and 41.86 % for Zn. After adjusting for age, sex, BMI, and energy intake, Mg intake had a negative correlation with systolic blood pressure (SBP), and Cu intake had a significant negative correlation with SBP and diastolic blood pressure (DBP). Also, Mn intake was negatively correlated with DBP, serum total cholesterol, and triglycerides. Thus, it is concluded that the dietary intakes of Mg, Cu, and Mn may play an important role in controlling blood pressure and lipids in Korean adults.