The objective was to investigate the association of nutrients and lifestyle modifiers with bone mineral density (BMD) and weight and/or body mass index (BMI) in 120 healthy Croatian postmenopausal women. The hip and spine BMD was assessed by Lunar Prodigy (GE Medical Systems). Nutrient assessment from 3-day records was analyzed using the US Department of Agriculture Food Composition Tables and the Croatian National Institute of Public Health database. Subjects were asked to record the consumption of alcohol, coffee, tea and mineral waters, the amount of salt added to foods and smoking habits, as well as involvement in recreational activities, walking and heavy housework. Spot urine samples were analyzed for calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium and zinc and were normalized by creatinine. Alcohol showed statistically significant positive association with femur and spine BMD and its consumption was higher in subjects without osteoporosis. Urinary sodium/creatinine was significantly positively associated with femoral neck and trochanter BMD, while urinary calcium/creatinine was significantly negatively associated with trochanter, total femur and spine BMD. Consumption of mineral waters was inversely associated with weight/BMI and so were dietary fiber and magnesium. In conclusion, moderate alcohol consumption and urinary sodium were positively associated while urinary calcium was negatively associated with either hip and/or spine BMD. Mineral waters, higher fiber and magnesium intake were beneficial for weight/BMI in this population of apparently healthy Croatian women.

No abstract

It was suggested that ascorbic acid as a natural chelating agent can influence lead toxicokinetics and improve chelating properties of dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) in adult rats. In this paper potential benefits of ascorbic acid supplementation, alone or combined with DMSA, in decreasing lead retention in suckling rats were evaluated. Such data in young mammals are not available. L-Ascorbic acid (daily dose 650 mg/kg b.wt.) and/or DMSA (daily dose 91 mg/kg b.wt.) were administered orally to suckling Wistar rats either during ongoing 8-day oral lead exposure (as acetate; daily dose 2 mg lead/kg b.wt.) or after 3-day lead exposure (total dose 12 mg lead/kg b.wt.). Lead concentrations were analysed in the carcass (skeleton), liver, kidneys and brain by atomic absorption spectrometry. By ascorbic acid supplementation lead retention was not reduced under either lead exposure condition. Lead concentration was even increased in the carcass. Treatment with DMSA under both exposure conditions significantly reduced lead in all analysed tissues. Combined treatment with ascorbic acid and DMSA during ongoing lead exposure was substantially less effective than DMSA treatment alone, and did not affect DMSA efficacy when administered after lead exposure. It was concluded that ascorbic acid administered either during or after lead exposure in suckling rats has no beneficial effect on either lead retention or DMSA chelation effectiveness.

The influence of chelating agents: meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA); calcium trisodium diethylenetriaminepentaacetate (CaDTPA) and their combination on mobilisation of cadmium (Cd) was compared in female albino rats. After oral Cd administration chelators were applied either orally (DMSA) or intraperitoneally (CaDTPA) at various short time intervals after Cd. Three experiments were carried out with four treatment groups in each: 1) Cd (control); 2) Cd+DMSA; 3) Cd+CaDTPA; 4) Cd+DMSA+CaDTPA. Time intervals for chelator treatment after Cd administration were: immediate application in the first, half an hour in the second and one hour in the third experiment. At the end of each experiment cadmium was analysed in kidney and liver. Additionally in experiment 3 essential elements (Fe, Cu, Zn) were also determined in the same organs. In experiment 2 the effect of the treatment on urinary elimination of cadmium, copper and zinc were analysed. Results showed that the efficiency of Cd removal from the body (kidneys and liver) is lower when the time between Cd and chelating agents administration is longer. The two chelators differ in efficiency in mobilizing Cd, with DMSA being more efficient than CaDTPA. The combined therapy with the two chelators gave generally better results. It seems that DMSA which is given orally after oral Cd administration removes this element very efficiently from the gastrointestinal tract. CaDTPA, however, which is given parenterally removes absorbed Cd less efficiently, Organs are not significantly depleted in iron and copper after chelation treatment. Only zinc concentration was, however, significantly lower in the liver and higher in kidneys only after CaDTPA and combined DMSA+CaDTPA chelation.