A Study on Hair Mineral Concentrations in Diabetic Patients

Jang, Soo Ick; Kim, Kyoung Kon; Lee, Bok Gi; Kim, Hyung Joon; Lew, Soo Hyun; Kang, Hee Cheol; Youn, Bang Bu

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Minerals are essential nutrients of human body and related with various diseases. Some minerals may be associated with endocrine function. Especially, chromium is known to enhance the action of insulin. The correlation of minerals with DM has not been studied in Korea yet. Therefore, to know whether there is any significant difference of minerals concentration and component between DM patient and non-DM patient, the quantity of each mineral in the hair of patients and controls was measured. If there is any significance, a guideline of nutritional therapy with minerals could be proposed and recommended. METHOD: An analysis of hair was performed on the type II diabetic patients and non-diabetic patients who visited Severance hospital outpatient clinic from April, 2001 to January, 2002. Hairs were obtained from each subject and were analyzed into the concentration of mineral using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The concentration of each element between the two groups was compared by t-test analysis.
RESULTS
The concentration of copper, sodium, chromium, sulfur, and antimony was significantly different; the level of copper was significantly lower in the diabetic group (P=0.013). On the other hand, the levels of sodium, chromium, sulfur, and antimony were significantly higher in the diabetic group (P=0.013, 0.0001, 0.010, 0.0001).
CONCLUSION
Previous studies have suggested that the concentration of chromium in diabetic patients' blood was lower than those in normal population. However, this study showed that the measured amount of chromium in hair was significantly higher in the diabetic group. This result warrants a study on the correlation between the concentration of chromium in blood and hair, and also, on the mutual relationship of other minerals (copper, sodium, sulfur, and antimony) which also showed significant difference in this study.