Gender and Age Related Macro- and Trace Minerals Estimation Survey among the European North Residents

Abstract

A comparative analysis of the content of elements in hair of the residents of Karelia of different gender and age and of the deviation in the content from reference values typical for residents of the central part of the Russian Federation is carried out. Hair from the occipital part of the head, in which the content of 25 chemical elements is determined, are used as the biological object for elemental analysis. A four-point scale corresponding to the range of deviation of the content of macroelements and microelements from reference values is used to estimate the data obtained. Studying the elemental status in the residents of Karelia demonstrates that the population experiences an excess of toxic elements and a great deficiency of many essential macroelements and microelements. An excess of toxic elements Hg and Pb and a deficiency of essential elements Ca, Zn, Fe, and P is significantly more frequently identified in the hair of 57 test subjects over 60 years old. Such age-related differences in metabolism are established for Si, Na, and K. An imbalance of other macroelements and microelements, such as Co, Mg, I, Cu, Fe, Cr, and Se, is equally typical for residents over 60 years old and for 20–25 year olds (who are a comparison group), which indicates the need for the prevention of regional microelementoses in all strata of the population regardless of age. A Mg and Na deficiency is more often diagnosed in men, while I, Zn, P, and Cr deficiency is found for women. The revealed differences in the elemental composition of hair in the residents of Karelia from reference values typical for residents of the central part of Russia confirm the need for a personalized approach to the replenishment of mineral deficiency taking into account gender and age in the region of residence.