Plasma mineral content in type-2 diabetic patients and their association with the metabolic syndrome

Background: Metabolic syndrome is a clinical disorder that is becoming more prevalent in Spain. The syndrome encompasses a set of metabolic disorders such as type-2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and obesity, which may be associated with variations in serum levels and poor delivery of certain mineral elements. Methods: This study attempted to ascertain whether metabolic syndrome might be linked to alterations in serum levels of the mineral elements magnesium, copper, zinc, chromium, and nickel in a population of 92 diabetic subjects, some suffering from certain conditions associated with the metabolic syndrome, and 72 control subjects ( Hospital Principe de Asturias, Alcal de Henares, Spain). Results: The results indicated that as a group the alterations implicated in metabolic syndrome were indeed associated with variations in blood levels of the mineral elements considered, though statistically significant differences were recorded only in the case of copper. Still, trends in mineral levels for each of the separate components contributing to the syndrome tended to increase. Conclusion: Metabolic complications appear to be associated with alterations in the levels of some minerals, especially copper. Copyright (c) 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel.