Comparison of estimates of zinc absorption in humans by using 4 stable isotopic tracer methods and compartmental analysis

BACKGROUND: Adjustment of gastrointestinal absorption is the primary means of maintaining zinc homeostasis; however, a precise, accurate method for measuring zinc absorption in humans has not been identified. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare the estimates of the fraction of dietary zinc absorbed (FZA) by using 4 stable isotopic tracer methods: mass balance (MB) corrected for endogenous secretion, fecal monitoring (FM), deconvolution analysis (DA), and the double isotopic tracer ratio (DITR) method. DESIGN: All 4 methods were applied to a single data set for each of 6 women. FZA was also determined for each subject by using a detailed compartmental model of zinc metabolism, and that value was used as the reference with which the simpler methods were compared. RESULTS: The estimates of FZA (&xmacr; +/- SD) determined by DA (0.27 +/- 0. 08) and the DITR technique in plasma (0.30 +/- 0.10), 24-h urine samples (0.29 +/- 0.09), and spot urine samples (0.291 +/- 0.089) all compared well with the FZA reference value from the compartmental model (0.30 +/- 0.10). The MB and FM methods tended to overestimate FZA compared with the reference value. CONCLUSIONS: The determination of FZA by MB or FM is laborious, is sensitive to subject compliance, and may result in an overestimate. DA, although relatively accurate, has the disadvantage of requiring multiple blood drawings over several days. In contrast, the DITR technique applied to a spot urine specimen obtained >/=3 d after tracer administration provides an accurate measure of FZA and is easy to implement; therefore, it is the recommended method for determination of FZA.     

Accuracy of simple techniques for estimating fractional zinc absorption in humans

The theoretical basis of the accuracy of a number of simple techniques for estimating fractional zinc absorption (FZA) in humans using stable isotopic tracers has not been evaluated. These techniques include fecal monitoring (FM), deconvolution analysis (DA), double isotopic tracer ratio (DITR) and indicator dilution methods. Using a compartmental model, we investigated the accuracy and logic of each of these techniques. Time-dependent estimates of FZA based on the simple techniques were simulated using the compartmental model and compared with the known FZA derived from the model. The analysis elucidated logical errors in some of the FM techniques, and even when these problems were corrected, the FM technique was still prone to errors due to incomplete fecal tracer recovery and variable gastrointestinal (GI) transit time. Although logically correct, the indicator dilution techniques were also highly sensitive to incomplete fecal tracer recovery and variable GI transit time. The DA and DITR techniques were the most robust in that they were logically correct and were insensitive to incomplete fecal tracer recovery and variable GI transit time. Although all of the DA and DITR methods provided similarly good estimates of FZA relative to the compartmental model, the DITR technique performed on a spot urine specimen obtained several days after tracer administration was the preferred choice because of its simplicity and minimal requirements for patient compliance.     

稳定性同位素评价藏族青年男子膳食铁的吸收率

目的用铁的稳定性同位素示踪剂评价藏族青年男子膳食铁的吸收率,为改善该人群膳食铁吸收的提供参考数据。方法于现场进行人体代谢试验,受试者口服稳定性同位素示踪铁剂(浓集57Fe的FeSO4)及稀土元素镝,粪便监测法收集示踪剂排出粪样;用感耦等离子体质谱仪测定粪样57Fe56Fe的比值,分析评价该人群膳食铁的吸收率。结果口服同位素评价藏族青年男子膳食铁的吸收率为13.4%±6.4%;每日示踪剂铁和镝排出呈良好相关性。结论稀土元素镝与未吸收的示踪剂铁在消化道有一致的排出过程,前者的回收率能很好反映粪样收集情况;藏族成年男子膳食铁的吸收较好。     

稳定同位素示踪法测定青春前期儿童铁吸收率

目的利用稳定同位素示踪技术评价青春前期儿童铁吸收率。方法利用人工富集57Fe标记并制备为57FeSO4口服剂,在常规膳食模式下,早、晚餐前经口给予57名受试者,共5天。收集规定时间内受试者全部粪便,前处理后分别经原子吸收分光光度计(AAS)和多接受等离子质谱仪(MC-ICP-MS)测定铁的含量和丰度,以评价青春前期儿童铁的吸收率情况。结果男、女性儿童铁表观吸收率分别为(26.71±2.94)%和(29.76±2.20)%,校正回收率分别为(27.45±2.83)%和(31.01±2.48)%,男性均显著低于女性儿童(P0.05)。结论空腹口服稳定同位素示踪剂条件下,青春期儿童铁吸收率均较高,但男性吸收率略低于女性。     

原子吸收法测定动物骨粉中锶含量的研究

目的：建立空气-乙炔火焰原子吸收测定动物骨粉中锶含量。方法：采用高压消解法对样品进行前处理，并以氧化镧作为抗干扰剂，采用空气-乙炔火焰原子吸收富燃火焰测定锶含量。结果：高压消解法前处理骨粉消化完全，待测元素不易损失，选用浓度为8g／L氧化镧可基本消除样品中共存元素的干扰。锶含量在0—4．0μg／ml浓度范围内，回归方程为Y=0．018X＋0．0016，r=0．9990，具有良好的线性关系；方法的检出限为0．04μg／ml，相对标准偏差为4．1％-7．4％，方法回收率在90％-104％，对两种国家标准物质进行测定，测定值均与标示值相吻合。结论：方法精密准确可靠，可满足正常来样检测的需要，便于推广。     

Oxalate degradation by gastrointestinal bacteria from humans

Anaerobic bacteria that metabolize oxalic acid have only recently been isolated from the rumen and from other gastrointestinal habitats. They constitute a new genus and species, Oxalobacter formigenes. This report presents the first comparison of cultural counts of these organisms from human feces and indicates that numbers as high as 10(7)/g may be present in feces from normal humans. Rates of oxalate degradation by mixed bacterial populations in feces from seven normal humans ranged from 0.1 to 4.8 mumol/(g X h). With fecal samples from eight patients that had undergone jejunoileal bypass surgery, rates were much lower [0-0.006 mumol/(g X h)]. We propose that oxalic acid degradation by Oxalobacter formigenes may influence absorption of oxalate from the intestine and that lower rates or lack of oxalate degradation in the colons of jejunoileal bypass patients may contribute to the increased absorption of dietary oxalate and the hyperoxaluria commonly associated with such patients.     

Isotopic tracer techniques for studying the bioavailability and bioefficacy of dietary carotenoids,particularly beta-carotene,in humans: a review

Vitamin A deficiency is a serious health problem in many developing countries. Provitamin A carotenoids in fruit and vegetables are the major source of vitamin A for a large proportion of the world's population. However, the contribution of plant foods is substantial only when both the consumption and provitamin A content of such food is high and, at the same time, the bioefficacy of the provitamin A is high. With respect to provitamin A carotenoids, the term bioefficacy is defined as the product of the fraction of the ingested amount that is absorbed (bioavailability) and the fraction of that which is converted to retinol in the body (bioconversion). Isotopic tracer techniques can meet the need for accurate and precise estimates of the bioavailability, bioconversion, and bioefficacy of dietary carotenoids in humans. Use of such techniques will enable proper evaluation of food-based approaches to eliminating vitamin A deficiency. In addition, the putative antioxidant capacities of carotenoids can be better understood if their bioavailability is known. Here, we discuss how tracer techniques can be applied to obtain reliable and representative data. A step-by-step discussion of aspects related to these techniques is provided, including study design, choice of isotopic tracers, dosing regimen, collection of samples, chemical analysis of samples, and data analysis.     

火焰原子吸收法测定富锶食品中的锶

目的:建立空气-乙炔火焰原子吸收法测定富锶食品中锶含量。方法:采用干法灰化对样品进行前处理,以EDTA-表面活性剂联合增敏,采用中性火焰测定锶含量,对EDTA-表面活性剂、混合气体、共存离子干扰与消除、硝酸镧用量的确定进行试验探讨。结果:当EDTA-聚乙二醇辛基苯醚(OP)存在时,测定锶的灵敏度提高60%,同时以ED-TA、硝酸镧为保护剂、消电离剂、释放剂可消除样品中共存元素的干扰。方法线性范围0~10.0μg/ml,检出限为0.02μg/ml,相对标准偏差为4.0%~6.5%,方法回收率在92%~105%。对3种国家标准物质进行测定,测定值均与真值相吻合。结论:本方法简便、灵敏、准确,适用于富锶食品中锶的测定。     

Gastrointestinal absorption of uranium in humans

The gastrointestinal absorption factor (f1) for uranium in humans has been determined from a study of 50 volunteers, ingesting uranium at natural levels in drinking water and food. The purpose of the study was to find an appropriate f1 value for humans to use in deriving exposure guidelines for uranium. The participants ranged in age from 13 to 87 years. They were selected from two communities: New Ross, Nova Scotia with elevated uranium in drinking water, and Ottawa, Ontario with very low levels of uranium. Uranium intake and excretion were measured in samples collected concurrently from the same individuals over a three-day period. The duplicate diet method was used to monitor uranium intake in food and water. Uranium levels in all samples were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP/MS). The distribution of f1 values obtained was non-Gaussian with a range of 0.001 to 0.06 and a median of 0.009. Seventy-eight percent of the subjects had values less than 0.02. These values are consistent with the recommendations of ICRP 69. The f1 values were not gender-sensitive and were independent of age at time of study, duration of exposure, and total uranium intake. The implications of these findings are discussed in terms of setting drinking water guidelines.     

Reduction in the absorption and retention of strontium in rats

Rats were fed a stock diet supplemented with calcium phosphate and sodium alginate, both separately and simultaneously, over a period of 4-5 months. Observations were made at intervals on the growth rate and on visual and histological abnormalities in some body tissues. No toxic effects were observed. The absorption and skeletal retention of calcium for rats on the combined supplements remained almost unchanged but the absorption and retention of strontium was reduced 7-fold.     

Iron absorption in humans as influenced by bovine milk proteins

The effect of the two major bovine milk protein fractions on the dialyzability of iron in vitro under simulated gastrointestinal conditions and on the absorption of Fe by humans was studied. Liquid-formula meals were prepared from hydrolyzed maize starch, corn oil, and either spray-dried egg white or a milk-protein product. In meals containing egg white, 3.32% of the Fe was dialyzable. The substitution of casein and whey protein products reduced the dialyzable fraction to 0.19-0.56% and 0.86-1.60%, respectively. Percentage Fe absorption was also reduced by the substitution of casein or whey protein for egg white. Mean absorption values fell from 6.67 to 3.65% and 2.53 to 0.98%, respectively. When the intact milk-protein products were replaced by enzyme- or acid-hydrolyzed preparations, the dialyzable fraction increased markedly and in proportion to the extent of hydrolysis. A similar but much smaller effect on absorption was observed. These studies suggest that bovine casein and whey proteins are responsible at least in part for the poor bioavailability of the Fe in some infant formulas.     

Molybdenum absorption and utilization in humans from soy and kale intrinsically labeled with stable isotopes of molybdenum.

BACKGROUND: Stable-isotope studies of molybdenum metabolism have been conducted in which molybdenum was added to the diet and was assumed to be absorbed and utilized similarly to the molybdenum in foods. OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to establish whether the molybdenum in foods is metabolized similarly to molybdenum added to the diet. DESIGN: We first studied whether sufficient amounts of molybdenum stable isotopes could be incorporated into wheat, kale, and soy for use in a human study. Enough molybdenum could be incorporated into soy and kale to study molybdenum absorption and excretion. Two studies were then conducted, one in women and one in men. In the first study, each meal contained approximately 100 microg Mo from soy, kale, and extrinsic molybdenum. In the second study, soy and extrinsic molybdenum were compared; the meal contained approximately 300 microg Mo. RESULTS: In the first study, molybdenum was absorbed equally well from kale and an extrinsic source. However, the molybdenum in soy was less well absorbed than the molybdenum in kale or that added to the diet. In the second study, absorption of molybdenum from soy was less than from the extrinsic label. Urinary excretion of soy molybdenum was also lower than urinary excretion of the extrinsic label, but excretion as a percentage of the absorbed dose was not significantly different between treatments. CONCLUSIONS: The molybdenum in soy is less available than molybdenum added to the diet, but the molybdenum in kale is as available as molybdenum added to the diet. Once absorbed, excretion is not significantly different for soy, kale, and extrinsic molybdenum.     

Competitive inhibition of iron absorption by manganese and zinc in humans

Zinc and manganese may interfere with iron absorption because of similar physicochemical properties and shared absorptive pathways. The effects of zinc and manganese on iron absorption were studied in human subjects by using paired observations and a dual-radioisotope method (55Fe and 49Fe). Manganese inhibited iron absorption both in solutions and in a hamburger meal. Fractional iron absorption is strongly dose dependent. Adding 2.99 mg Mn to 0.01 mg Fe reduced iron absorption to the same extent as increasing the iron dose 300-fold to 3 mg, strongly indicating a direct competitive inhibition of manganese on iron absorption. In the same experiment with zinc, no inhibitory effect was observed, suggesting different pathways for the absorption of zinc and iron. An intraluminal interaction may occur, because a fivefold excess of zinc to iron (15 mgZn/3 mg Fe) reduced iron absorption by 56% when given in a water solution but not when given with a hamburger meal.