Need of nutritional assessment and monitoring in a population with acquired brain injury: an analytical cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION: Patients with acquired brain injury (ABI) may be at an increased risk of malnutrition due to the pathophysiology of their condition, which can affect their anthropometrical profile and therefore their quality of life. The present study analyzes the anthropometrical profile of these individuals, describes their dietary habits and nutrients intake and identifies the related risk factors influencing health status and quality of life. METHODS: Twenty-three volunteers with ABI from the province of Granada (Spain) were recruited for this cross-sectional study. Nutritional assessment was quantitatively and qualitatively performed using a 72-h dietary record and a food frequency questionnaire, respectively. Body composition parameters were evaluated by bioelectrical impedance. RESULTS: Low intakes of minerals related to bone health, extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and fruits were reported. Moreover, women presented a poorer anthropometrical profile compared to men. With reference to age, a significant inverse correlation was observed with sarcopenic obesity, appendicular muscle mass index and Vitamin B6 intake [(r = -0.617, p < 0.01), (r = -0.475, p < 0.05) and (r = -0.498, p < 0.05), respectively]. Intake of EVOO was inversely correlated to body mass index (r = -0.767, p < 0.001). Lastly, a direct correlation was observed between the consumption of alcohol and sweets and snacks (r = 0.608, p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The main findings support the existence of poor dietary quality and anthropometrical profile. Interdisciplinary team assessment would be beneficial to enhance the quality of life and attenuate the development of comorbidities in subjects with ABI.

Imbalanced dietary patterns, anthropometric, and body composition profiles amongst adults with Down syndrome.

Introduction: We aimed to analyze the anthropometric and body composition profiles of Down syndrome (DS) adults; to describe their dietary habits, nutrient intake, and physical activity patterns; and to identify the related risk factors which may influence their health status and quality of life.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on a cohort of 23 DS adults (45% women) aged 21-44 years. Anthropometry and body composition were assessed by bioelectrical impedance. Dietary nutrient intake was assessed quantitatively using a 72-h recall. A food frequency questionnaire and the prevention with Mediterranean diet-PREDIMED questionnaire were used for qualitative rating.Results: Higher fat mass (FM) and lower lean mass (LM), bone mass (BM), and waist to hip ratio (WHR) were observed in women compared to men. LM and BM decreased, and body mass index (BMI), FM, and WHR increased with aging (all P < 0.05). Vitamin D and iodine intakes were not met by 70% and 60% of the studied participants, respectively. A total of 82% of the participants consumed less than 5 portions of fruits and vegetables per day and overconsumed food groups such as sweets and snacks and red meat (> 2 times per week). Protein intake showed a significant positive correlation with height (r = 0.489, P < 0.05), whereas fat intake was positively correlated with sweets and snacks (r = 0.521, P < 0.05).Conclusion: The present findings support the existence of poor anthropometric and body composition profiles, and diet quality, underscoring the need for an interdisciplinary team assessment to enhance health and quality of life in DS adults.

Influence of low-protein dietetic foods consumption on quality of life and levels of B vitamins and homocysteine in patients with chronic renal failure.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to determine whether the consumption of low protein dietetic foods improved the quality of life and nutritional status for vitamins B and homocysteine in patients with chronic renal failure. METHODOLOGY: This nutritional-intervention involved 28 men and 21 women, divided into two groups. The control-group consumed a low-protein diet prescribed, and the experimental-group consumed a diet in which some commonly used foods were replaced by low-protein dietetic foods. The study lasted 6 months. Food consumption was assessed by 24-h recall. Vitamin B6 as alphaEAST was measured in blood. Creatinine, urea, vitamin B12, folate and homocysteine were measured in plasma. The impact on the patients' quality of life from consuming the dietetic foods was assessed via the SF-36 questionnaire. RESULTS: After 6 months, the protein intake among the experimental-group had decreased by 40%, and the urea/creatinine ratio and alphaEAST activity were also lower. The results of the SF-36 questionnaire show that the patients in the experimental-group obtained higher scores in the categories of general health and physical status. CONCLUSIONS: The dietetic foods were very well accepted by all patients and their use allowed a better control of the protein intake, improved B6 status and a better quality of life.

[Effects of supply with glutamine on antioxidant system and lipid peroxidation in patients with parenteral nutrition]. / Efectos de la suplementación con glutamina sobre el sistema antioxidante y la peroxidación lipídica en pacientes críticos con nutrición parenteral.

INTRODUCTION: In the critically ill patient, there is a continuous production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that need to be neutralized to prevent oxidative stress (OS). Quantitatively speaking, the glutathione system (GSH) is the most important anti-oxidant endogenous defense. To increase it, glutamine supplementation has been shown to be effective by protecting against the oxidative damage and reducing the morbimortality. OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of adding an alanylglutamine dipeptide to PN on lipid peroxidation lipidica and glutathione metabolism, as well as its relationship with morbidity in critically ill patients. METHODS: Determination through spectrophotometry techniques of glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, total glutathione, and maloniladdehyde at admission adn after seven days of hospitalization at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in 20 patients older than 18 years on parenteral nutrition therapy. RESULTS: The group of patients receiving parenteral nutrition with glutamine supplementation had significant increases in total glutathione (42.35+/-13 vs 55.29+/-12 micromol/l; p<0.05) and the enzymatic activity of glutathione peroxidasa (470+/-195 vs 705+/-214 micromol/l; p<0.05) within one week of nutritional therapy, whereas the group on conventional parenteral nutrition did not show significant changes of any of the parameters studied (p>0.05). However, both mortality and ICU stay were not different between the study group, whereas the severity (assessed by the SOFA score) was lower in the group of patients receiving glutamine (SOFA 5+/-2 vs 8+/-1.8; p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Glutamine intake in critically ill patients improves the antioxidant defenses, which leads to lower lipid peroxidation and lower morbidity during admission at the ICU.

[Vitamin B complex and homocysteine in chronic renal failure]. / Vitaminas B y homocisteína en la insuficiencia renal crónica.

Metabolic, biochemical, and hormonal changes occur in chronic renal failure usually associated with hyponutrition states. In predialysis patients, knowing the nutritional state about water-soluble vitamins such as thiamine, riboflavin, pyridoxine, cianocobalamine, and folic acid is becoming more and more important since some of the manifestations of chronic renal failure may be due to the deficiency of some of these water-soluble vitamins. The metabolic pathways in which most of these vitamins participate are interrelated and it is difficult to understand how the individual deficits of each vitamin affect renal pathology. This work aims at reviewing not only this issue but also the status of these water-soluble vitamins that different authors have found in groups of predialysis patients. On the other hand, the issue on the high prevalence of hyperhomocysteinemia in chronic renal failure as the main mortality risk factor due to cardiovascular pathologies as well as the implication of these vitamins in the metabolism of homocysteine, and consequently in plasma levels of this metabolite in predialysis patients is reviewed.

Excess Calcium, Magnesium and Phosphorus Deposition in the Epigastric Artery of Dialysis Patients Undergoing Renal Transplantation

ABSTRACT Objective: Vascular calcification contributes to cardiovascular disease on dialysis patients. Arterial mineral content is modified but not well defined. We aim to define what is the concentration of calcium, magnesium and phosphorus in the epigastric artery of adult dialysis patients undergoing renal transplantation. Methods: All renal allograft recipients who underwent surgery at our centre between May 2003 and December 2005 and consented to be taken small samples of epigastric artery were included in our cross-sectional study. Histological, radiological and spectrometric methods were used to measure vascular calcification, deposits and concentrations of calcium, phosphorus and magnesium in epigastric artery, which were correlated with clinical and biochemical characteristics. Mineral vascular content was compared with corresponding samples from cadaveric renal donors free from renal disease (control group). Results: Calcium and magnesium concentrations in epigastric artery were much higher in recipients (n = 100) than in donors (n = 30). Histologically confirmed calcifications were more frequent in recipients. Calcium and magnesium content in epigastric artery were correlated directly with recipient age, pre-transplant serum P and Ca × P product. A high content of calcium and magnesium in this artery was observed in recipients with media and intimal calcification. Multivariate logistic regression showed that dialysis vintage > 3.5 years and calcium concentration in epigastric artery ≥ 4500 mg/kg wet weight were independent predictors of histological calcification. Conclusion: Excess mineral deposition is observed in the epigastric artery of dialysis patients, where the recipient's age, serum P, Ca × P product and time on dialysis play a decisive role.

[Nutrients and energy intake assessment in the critically ill patient on enteral nutritional therapy]. / Valoración de la ingesta de nutrientes y energía en paciente crítico bajo terapia nutricional enteral.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: The critically ill patient is especially susceptible to malnutrition due to his/her hypermetabolic state that leads to an increase in the nutritional requirementes, which many times are not compensated with the administered enteral formulas. The assessment of nutritional intake is essential in this kind of patients to know to what level their energetic and nutritional requirements are fulfilled, improving and monitoring in the most individualized possible way to indicated clinical and nutritional therapu. METHODOLOGY: This is a retrospective study in which all patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of Virgen de las Nieves Hospital were studied from January to December of 2003, aged more than 18 years, and on enteral nutrition. A total of 90 patients (52 men and 38 women) were studied, 81% of which were older than 50 years, and 57% had hospital stays longer than 8 days, with a 21% mortality rate. Intake was assessed from time of admission and throughout the whole hospitalization period. Energetic requirements were calculated according to the modified Long's formula and micronutrients intakes were compared to existing general recommendations for the Spanish, European and American populations, and to vitaminic requirements in critically ill patients. RESULTS: Percentages of mean energy and nutrients intakes in relation to theoretical calculated requirements for both genders are presented in figure 1. Mean energy intake was 1,326 cal in men and 917 cal in women. With regards to micronutrients intake, the values found for proteins, falts, and carbohydrates were lower than 50% of the requirements for both genders. The percentage of adequacy as referred to requirements for vitamins and minerals intake is shown in figure 2. Reference recommendations used correspond to sufficient intakes to cover the healthy individual requirements, therefore, the values obtained in our study show and adequacy greater than 75%, with the exception of particular elements such as vitamin A and magnesium. However, by taking a look at figure 3, which shows the adequacy of vitamins intake at recommended does for sick patients, the intake is lower than 25% of the requirements in all cases, and these deficiencies significantly interfere with wound healing, the immune, cardiovascular and nervous systems, as well as with metabolism of the remaining macronutrients leading to an unbalanced situation of the antioxidant system, worsening the patient's clinical status. CONCLUSIONS: The present study confirms the need for monitoring individually the nutritional requirements in the critically ill patient and adapting recommendations to his/her metabolic changes, since currently these recommendations are not clearly defined for these situations. It is necessary to provide micronutrients doses closer to the patient's demands, so that the nutritional status and the balance of the antioxidant system may be preserved or improved, making the adopted clinical treatment more effective.

Influence of magnesium deficiency on the bioavailability and tissue distribution of iron in the rat.

We investigated the effect of dietary magnesium (Mg) deficiency on the nutritive utilization and tissue distribution of iron (Fe). Wistar rats were fed an Mg-deficient diet (56 mg/kg) for 70 days. Absorbed Fe, Fe balance, number of the erythrocytes [red blood cells (RBC)] and leukocytes white blood cells (WBC)], hemoglobin (Hb), and Fe content were determined in samples of plasma, whole blood, skeletal muscle, heart, kidney, liver, spleen, femoral bone, and sternum obtained on experimental days 21, 35, and 70. The Mg-deficient diet significantly increased Fe absorption and Fe balance from week 5 until the end of the experimental period. This effect was accompanied by a significant decrease in the concentration of RBC and Hb from day 35, which caused the decrease in whole blood Fe seen on day 70. However, WBC were significantly increased from day 21 until the end of the experimental period. Mg deficiency significantly increased plasma and liver Fe at all three time points investigated. Spleen, heart, and kidney Fe were significantly increased only at the end of the study. However, on day 70, Fe concentration in the sternum had decreased significantly. No changes were found in skeletal muscle or femur Fe content. Mg deficiency led to increased intestinal absorption of Fe and decreased RBC counts, possibly as a result of increased fragility of the erythrocytes. Intestinal interactions between Fe and Mg, together with activation of erythropoiesis as a result of hemolysis, favored intestinal absorption of Fe. This situation gave rise to an increase in plasma Fe levels, which in turn favored Fe uptake and storage by different organs, especially the liver and spleen. However, despite the increased Fe content seen in the tissues of rats fed the Mg-deficient diet, these animals were unable to compensate for the hemolysis caused by this nutritional deficiency.

Vitamins B6 and B12 and folate status in an adult Mediterranean population.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the nutritional status for vitamins B(6) and B(12) and folate in an adult Mediterranean population, in order to identify patterns of intake, groups at risk for deficiency, and factors that might influence this risk. DESIGN: A cross-sectional epidemiological survey. SETTING: Andalusia, a western Mediterranean region in southern Spain. SUBJECTS: The study was carried out with a random sample of 3528 subjects (1813 men, 1715 women) who were between 25 and 60 y of age. Blood samples were obtained for biochemical assays in a random subsample of 384 subjects (183 men, 201 women). INTERVENTIONS: Food consumption was assessed by 48-h recall. Vitamin B(6) was measured as alpha erythrocyte aspartate aminotransferase activation coefficient (alphaEAST); vitamin B(12) and folate concentrations were measured in plasma. RESULTS: Energy and vitamin intakes were significantly higher in men than in women. In men, intakes were below two-thirds of the RDA in 10.8, 2.9 and 22.6% for B(6), B(12) and folate, respectively. The corresponding figures in women were 16.7, 5.1 and 23.5% for vitamins B(6), B(12) and folate. Age, place of residence and educational level, alcohol use and smoking were also associated with differences in the intake of these nutrients. Biochemical analyses showed that vitamins B(6), B(12) and folate status was acceptable in 75.7, 89.1 and 57.6% of the population, respectively. Plasma concentration of folate was significantly higher in women. CONCLUSION: Our results provide a precise estimate of the nutritional status for vitamins B(6), B(12) and folate in the adult population of southern Spain. Factors such as age, place of residence, level of education and smoking can increase the risk of inadequate intake of some nutrients. However, these factors did not affect biochemical indexes of nutritional status in the present study. SPONSORSHIP: Dirección General de Salud Pública and the Health Council of the Andalusian Regional Government.

Alcohol consumption and academic performance in a population of Spanish high school students.

OBJECTIVE: The present study was designed to identify patterns of alcohol consumption among Spanish high school students and describe the relationship between alcohol intake and school performance. METHOD: The sample population consisted of students, aged 14 to 19 years, who were attending high school during the academic year 1994-95 in the city of Granada in southern Spain. We studied 1,602 (861 female) students (alpha error - 0.05, sampling error = 5%), using a self-administered questionnaire that contained items about individual and family demographics, quantity and frequency of alcohol consumption, and school performance. Total alcohol consumption was recorded as grams (g) of alcohol per week and per day for three categories of alcoholic drinks: wine, beer and distilled spirits. RESULTS: The percentage of nondrinkers was 21.05% for male adolescents and 28.56% for female adolescents. The mean amount of alcohol consumed per week was larger in male than in female students (F= 18.36, l/l,594 df, p < .001) and distilled spirits accounted for the largest proportion of alcohol consumed. No significant differences in drinking patterns were found between students at public and private schools. The risk of academic failure increased considerably when more than 150 g of alcohol were consumed per week (OR: 2.91; 95% CI: 1.94-4.43). CONCLUSIONS: Although we cannot draw any conclusions about the causes of the association between academic failure and teenage drinking, our results do show that the risk of failing increases together with alcohol intake. However, it should be noted that academic achievement is also influenced by many factors other than alcohol consumption.

Effect of magnesium deficiency on enterocyte Ca, Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn and Se content.

In previous studies based on indirect procedures, we reported that Mg deficit increased the bioavailability of a number of elements such as calcium, zinc, iron, copper, manganese and decreased selenium absorption. The present study was designed to verify these findings by direct methods. We investigated the effect of dietary magnesium deficiency on enterocyte Ca, Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn and Se concentrations. Male Wistar rats were fed a Mg-deficient diet (129 mg Mg/kg food) for 70 days. Whole enterocytes from the upper jejunum were isolated and Ca, Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn and Se were determined. The results were compared with findings in a control group that was pair-fed with an identical diet except that it covered this species's nutritional requirements for Mg (480 mg Mg/kg food). The Mg-deficient diet significantly increased enterocyte content of Ca, Fe, Zn, Cu and Mn; however, we found no significant changes in the Se content of these cells. These data support the results obtained by indirect methods.

Ability of a cocoa product to correct chronic Mg deficiency in rats.

Epidemiological studies have reported that Western diets are often deficient in Mg. We investigated the ability of a cocoa-derived product, used in some European countries as a dietary complement added to milk, to aid recovery from chronic Mg deficiency in rats. The animals were divided into three groups, each of which received a different amount of dietary Mg. Rats in the Mg-deficient (D) group received an Mg-deficient diet (0.225 g Mg/kg food) during 8 weeks. In the cocoa-supplement group (D + CC), the rats consumed the Mg-deficient diet for 5 weeks, and were then switched for 3 further weeks to the same diet supplemented with 3% (wt/wt) cocoa product, so that the Mg content of the diet was 0.27 g/kg food. Rats in the control group (C) were given the same diet as in group D, except that the amount of Mg was 0.56 g Mg/kg food. We measured the concentration of Mg, Ca and P from ten rats in plasma, whole blood, skeletal muscle, heart, kidney and femur in rats that were fed the diets for 35, 42, 49 or 56 days. In animal fed the cocoa-supplemented diet (D + CC) significant improvements were found between days 35 and 56 in the alterations in Mg, Ca and P caused by Mg deficiency in all tissues studied. On day 56, kidney and bone concentrations of Mg and Ca had returned to normal. Our findings show that the habitual use of the cocoa product as a dietary supplement favors correction of the negative effects of long-term feeding with a diet moderately deficient in Mg.

Changes in the nutritive utilization of protein induced by Mg deficiency in rats.

We studied the effect of an Mg-deficient diet (20 mg Mg/100 g diet) on the nutritive utilization of dietary protein in Wistar rats after 7, 35, 42, 49, 63, and 70 days. Magnesium deficiency significantly increased fecal and urinary excretion of nitrogen, leading to a decrease in apparent absorption and balance of nitrogen. In Mg-deficient animals, the plasma concentration of total protein was significantly lower than in control rats. The results indicate that Mg deficiency can reduce the nutritive utilization of protein, an effect that may contribute to the appearance of the malnutrition syndrome in rats given an Mg-deficient diet.

[We and zinc]. / Nosotros y el cinc.

Nutrition is the basis of human physiological processes. Inadequate nutrition can lead to dysfunction in the metabolic chain links. One of the most important micronutrients is zinc, as evidenced by its wide range of carriers in the body. Zinc intake has a large margin in the current world population, may be 7 mg/d in the UK, reaching 15 mg/d in the U.S., although of course, the RDA's are set according to age, sex , physiological status (pregnancy, lactation, etc..), or disease. It is known that zinc is essential for the structure and function as well as DNA and enzymes, coenzymes, hormones and so on. Life is short, zinc, since the most rapidly absorbed and is transferred to tanks where it is stored, so the amount available zinc in the blood cannot be the amount "real". In this work we have done a mini-review of the passage of zinc by the body trying since their intake to their tour of the blood in both healthy and sick people.

Changes in bioavailability and tissue distribution of zinc caused by magnesium deficiency in rats.

The effect of a Mg-deficient diet (200 mg Mg/kg feed) on the bioavailability of dietary Zn and the concentration of this cation in plasma, whole blood, skeletal muscle, kidney, heart and brain of Wistar rats was studied after 7, 35, 42, 49, 56, 63 and 70 d. Mg deficiency significantly decreased Zn in whole blood on day 42 of the experiment, but there was no significant change in plasma Zn throughout the 70 d study period. The Mg-deficient diet significantly increased intestinal absorption of Zn, Zn balance, and Zn concentration in femur and kidney, but decreased Zn concentration in the heart despite the increase in dry weight of this organ. No change was found in brain Zn concentration.

Evolution of Mg deficiency in rats.

We performed weekly analyses of the evolution of the bioavailability of the Mg cation over a period of 70 days in adult rats fed an Mg-deficient (0.02%) diet. The results generally showed an increase in digestive utilization (% absorption) and a decrease in Mg balance during the experimental period. The parameters most sensitive to Mg deficiency were increase in body weight and blood concentration of Mg (mg/100 ml), which had declined significantly after 7 days (p < 0.05). Significant declines in plasma (p < 0.02) and muscle Mg (p < 0.01) were not apparent until after 35 days. Magnesium content in bone decreased from day 49 onward (p < 0.05), whereas renal Mg concentration tended to rise slightly during the last 2 weeks of study. No change was found in brain Mg concentration.

Changes in tissue calcium and phosphorus content and plasma concentrations of parathyroid hormone and calcitonin after long-term magnesium deficiency in rats.

OBJECTIVE: The present study was undertaken to investigate the effect of dietary magnesium (Mg) deficiency on plasma levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH) and calcitonin (CT), and the changes in tissue calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) content. METHODS: Wistar rats were fed an Mg-deficient diet. Plasma levels of PTH and CT, and Ca and P content in plasma, whole blood, skeletal muscle, heart, kidney, femoral bone and brain, were determined after 7, 35, 42, 49, 56, 63 and 70 days. RESULTS: Mg deficiency significantly increased plasma levels of ionic Ca after 1 week of deficiency, and significantly increased total Ca in plasma and whole blood after 5 weeks. Whole blood and plasma levels of P decreased significantly after 8 and 5 weeks, respectively, in comparison with values obtained in pair-fed control rats. Plasma levels of CT were not modified by hypercalcemia and hypomagnesemia. Plasma PTH decreased significantly during the first 3 weeks, then recovered gradually, reaching control values in week 7 and remaining stable thereafter, despite elevated levels of ionic Ca. The Mg-deficient diet led to calcification in skeletal muscle, heart, kidney and femur, detectable as early as week 5. However, P content increased only in kidney after 1 week, decreased in heart and femur after 5 weeks, and did not change in muscle. The Mg-deficient diet did not significantly modify Ca or P content in brain. CONCLUSION: Mg deficiency led to tissue calcification and decreased P levels in blood, heart, and femur. These changes did not affect CT secretion. PTH appeared to be more closely related with hypomagnesemia than with hypercalcemia.

Magnesium-manganese interactions caused by magnesium deficiency in rats.

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the effect of dietary magnesium (Mg) deficiency on the nutritive utilization and tissue distribution of manganese (Mn). METHODS: Wistar rats were fed a Mg-deficient diet (56 mg/kg) for 70 day. Absorbed Mn, Mn balance and Mn content in plasma, whole blood, skeletal muscle, heart, kidney, liver, femoral bone and sternum were determined after 21, 35 and 70 days. RESULTS: The Mg-deficient diet significantly increased Mn apparent absorption and Mn balance from week five until the end of the experimental period. This effect was accompanied by a significant increase in the concentration of Mn in heart at all three time points. Whole blood, skeletal muscle and kidney Mn were significantly increased from day 35, and femur Mn content was increased only at the end of the study (day 70). However, Mn concentration in the sternum decreased significantly from day 35. No changes were found in liver Mn content. CONCLUSION: Mg deficiency increased Mn absorbed, and this favored the deposition of Mn in all tissues studied except the liver and trabecular bone. The lack of response by the liver to increased Mn absorption may have led to the redistribution of this ion to other tissues.

Changes in bioavailability and tissue distribution of selenium caused by magnesium deficiency in rats.

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the effect of dietary magnesium (Mg) deficiency on the bioavailability and tissue distribution of selenium (Se). METHODS: Wistar rats were fed an Mg-deficient diet for 70 days (D). Selenium content in plasma, whole blood, skeletal muscle, heart, kidney and femoral bone was determined after 7, 35, 49 and 70 days on a Mg-deficient diet. RESULTS: The Mg-deficient diet significantly decreased Se absorption from week 7 until the end of the experimental period; this effect was accompanied by a significant decrease in Se balance. We found a direct linear correlation between Se absorption and retention (balance) (pair-fed controls r = 0.842, p < 0.001; Mg-deficient rats r = 0.959, p < 0.001), and between Se absorbed and plasma Se concentration (controls r = 0.527, p < 0.02; Mg-deficient rats r = 0.704, p < 0.001). In general there were no significant correlations between urinary Se and any other parameter. Tissue analyses showed that after 7 days, Mg deficiency reduced erythrocyte Se and significantly increased plasma and kidney Se. Heart Se was significantly increased only at the end of the study. We found no significant changes in skeletal muscle or bone Se at any time during the experimental period. CONCLUSION: Chronic Mg deficiency decreases Se absorption and retention and erythrocyte concentrations of this mineral, and increases Se in plasma, kidney and heart. Under our experimental conditions, absorption appears to play an important role in the regulation of the tissue distribution of Se.

Iron status in a population of Spanish schoolchildren.

Iron status was assessed in a population of 196 schoolchildren and adolescents divided into three age groups: 6-7 years (n = 60), 10-12 years (n = 63) and 13-15 years (n = 73). All subjects were from the Vélez-Málaga area (province of Málaga) in southern Spain. Nutrient intakes and biochemical parameters related with iron status (number of red cells, hematocrit, hemoglobin, serum iron concentration, total iron-binding capacity and transferrin saturation) were measured. The results showed a lack of correlation between the nutrient intake and biochemical findings. Food intake calculations suggested that adolescent girls between 13 and 15 years of age were at greatest risk for iron deficiency (intakes covered only 71.6% and 84% of the iron and folic acid RDAs, respectively), followed by 10-12 year old girls and 6-7 year old boys. However, groups in which iron deficiency was most frequent according to the biochemical data were 6-7 year old boys (10%), followed by 13-15 year old adolescent boys (2.9%).