Association of Serum Concentrations of Magnesium and Some Trace Elements with Cardiometabolic Risk Factors and Liver Enzymes in Adolescents: the CASPIAN-III Study

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the association of serum concentrations of magnesium (Mg), selenium (Se), chromium (Cr), and copper (Cu) with cardiometabolic risk factors and liver functions in Iranian children and adolescents. This case-control study was conducted under a national surveillance program. It comprised 320 students, aged 10-18 years, in two groups of equal number with or without metabolic syndrome (MetS). Serum concentrations of Mg and abovementioned trace elements were measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Median regression analysis and different models of logistic regression were used to determine the associations of these elements with cardiometabolic risk factors. In the MetS group, the median of Mg, Se, Cr, and Cu was lower or equal to controls. Mg had significant inverse association with some MetS components; however, the corresponding figure was stronger for the simultaneous association of Mg, Se, Cr, and Cu with MetS components. The binary logistic regression revealed that Mg was a significant protective factor against MetS (P = 0.0001). Likewise, by considering the simultaneous association of Mg, Se, Cr, and Cu with MetS, Se was a significant protective factor against MetS. The corresponding figures were not significant for Cr and Cu. Se and Cu had significant inverse association with liver enzymes. The protective role of Mg and Se against MetS and liver enzymes, as well as the associations of these elements with some cardiometabolic risk factors and liver enzymes in the pediatric age group should be considered in future preventive and interventional studies.

Diverse Associations of Plasma Selenium Concentrations and SELENOP Gene Polymorphism with Metabolic Syndrome and Its Components

“…Moreover, some studies revealed negative association between selenium and MetS. For example, a case-control study in Iran adolescents found an inverse relationship [13]. In that study, the median of plasma selenium was 84.32 μg/L for the controls and 81.92 μg/L for the cases, and each SD increment of serum selenium was associated with 2% (95% CI: 0-3%) lower odds of MetS.…”

“…Therefore, a U-shaped association of selenium with cardiometabolic diseases has been suggested. However, previous data regarding selenium and MetS are conflicting: some studies find circulating selenium to be positively associated with MetS [9,10], whereas others report nonsignificant association between selenium and MetS [11,12], occasionally linking higher selenium with lower risk of MetS [13]. Additionally, data related to the dose-response association between selenium and MetS are limited.…”

Recent advances in the application of ionomics in metabolic diseases

“…Besides the ionome-level studies mentioned above, more case-control studies and meta-analyses recently focused on single or several trace elements and explored their differences between MetS patients and healthy controls in different biological samples ( 17 , 155 – 164 ). Although some of these results appear to be contradictory and ambiguous, it appears that elevations of Se, Cu, Zn (in males), and toxic metals (such as Cd and Hg) and reduction of Mg in blood samples are associated with increased risk of MetS and its components.…”