Microelements
Physicians long ago paid attention to interrelation of many diseases with intake deficiency and content in organism of definite macro- and microelements. For example, connection between iron deficiency status of organism and anemia development was determined. The role of iodine deficiency in endemic pathogenesis had been proved at the close of XIX century. Ever since increase of information about the role of deficiency or surplus of definite microelements in development of diseases has the avalanche-like character.
Nowadays in Russia conception for microelementoses has found its active followers in the person of Skalny A.V., Dr. of Science in Medicine, his disciples and colleagues in Science-Medicine center ‘Element’ and Center for Biotic Medicine which is the simple scientific medicine research Russian organization specialized on diagnostics and medical treatment of human metabolism violations provoked by environmental pollution and effects of negative ecological factors.
Having considered biological role of trace elements and its participation practically in all the biochemical processes in human organism, questions of environmental pollution alarm not only ecologists but physicians of all specialties. In our state accordingly to suggestion of Avtsyn A.P., academician of Russian Academy of Medical Sciences (RAMS) (Avtsyn et al., 1983) conception of microelementoses has been introduced to mark all pathological processes provoked by deficiency, surplus or misbalance of trace elements.
Among 92 chemical elements presented in nature 81 is detected in human organism. 12 elements are called as structural ones because they make up 99% of human organism elemental composition (C, O, H, N, Ca, Mg, Na, K, S, P, F, Cl).
Trace elements are named those found in human organism in very small trace quantities. First of all, they include 15 essential ones – Fe, J, Cu, Zn, Co, Cr, Mo, Ni, V, Se, Mn, As, F, Si and Li as well as relatively essential B, Br. Elements Cd, Pb, Al, Rb are a serious candidates for essentiality. Correctness of Paracels’s phrase is distinctly seen in conception of trace elements: ‘there are no toxic substances but toxic doses.’
Trace elements are most important catalysts for different biochemical processes, metabolism; they have a significant role in organism adaptation in norm and pathology. Some elements widely present in nature are seldom detected in human and vice versa. Peculiarities of elemental accumulation are displayed in this fact – active and selective use of outer elements – to support homeostasis and construct organism independently of changing environmental parameters.
It is widely known that trace elements have a broad spectrum of synergetic and antagonistic interrelations. So, it has been shown that there are 105 bipartite and 455 tripartite interactions between 15 essential elements known. This thesis is a natural base to study displays and assess development of mecroelemental homeostasis misbalances such typical in deficiency of one essential element even.
Microelemental homeostasis may be violated in insufficient intake of essential trace elements and/or surplus intake of toxic ones into organism. Taking into consideration difficult antagonistic and synergetic interrelations and interactions between elements, picture of intoxication or pathology and disease development may be very difficult to be interpreted. In this case adequate diagnostics of microelementoses is very important, related, first of all, to exact quantity elements definition in indicative human substrates.
Scientific and medical data about the role of mineral elements in function of separate organs, systems and human organism in the whole collected to date, data about sequences for human health, deficiency of biogenic, vitally necessary elements and surplus of toxic ones can be summarized and are used in diagnostics and treatment practice by Center for biotic medicine under the leadership of Dr. Skalny.
