Trace Element and Micronutrient Reference Laboratory
Scotland's specialised laboratory for trace elements and vitamins in health and disease
Trace Elements - an Introduction (1)
1. Introduction
Essential Trace Elements
Toxic Elements
2. Nutritional Deficiency States
3. Alterations in Disease, Trauma and Infection
4. Inborn Errors of Metabolism
5. Toxicity
6. Laboratory Assessment
A healthy diet provides not only adequate fat, carbohydrate and protein but also small amounts of so-called micronutrients such as trace elements and vitamins. Trace elements can be categorised into those which are essential for human life such as chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), iodine (I), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), selenium (Se), & zinc (Zn), and those which are potentially toxic such as aluminium (Al), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and nickel (Ni). Some essential trace elements (eg. Co, Cr, Fe, Mn, and Se) may also be toxic when concentrations are raised above specific cut-off levels.
Vitamins A (retinol), B1 (thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), B6 (pyridoxine), B12 (cyanocobalamin), C (ascorbic acid), D (cholecalciferol), E (tocopherol), and K (phylloquinone) are required for adequate nutrition. In the case of vitamins A & B6 toxicity may also occur. Vitamins can be divided into two groups - fat soluble (vitamins A, D, E, & K) and water soluble (vitamins B1, B2, B6 & C). In general, water soluble vitamins function as coenzymes and the body's reserves are low, while fat soluble vitamins do not function as coenzymes and the body's reserves are high.
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