Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Use and Misuse of Balance Studies
Use and Misuse of Balance Studies
0022-3166/87 $3.00 ©1987 American Institute of Nutrition. Received 24 July 1987. Accepted 27 July 1987.
1811
1812 MERTZ
magnesium (7), selenium (8) and possibly others. This well buffered against the consequences of intake changes,
model may not be fully applicable to iron for which the whereas others are subject to more rapid changes in
amount of losses appears to be much less subject to pool size. The important physiological conclusion is
regulation and to depend largely on the amount of iron that negative balances do not persist (provided the in
sequestered in the intestinal mucosa. take is above the minimum obligatory loss), and that
Notwithstanding the multicompartmental nature of the equilibrium will establish itself, even if it takes
excretion kinetics a simplified statement can be made, years. The pool size at which the new equilibrium is
probably applicable to many trace elements, that the established depends on the intake.
amount of daily loss from the body pool is some func Although the foregoing discussion has postulated that
tion of the size of that pool. Intakes that result in an a trace element balance can be achieved with a variety
excess of absorbed trace element over the prevailing of intakes and pool sizes, there are limits to balance on
daily loss will increase the pool until the daily loss both extremes of intake. High exposures may exceed
equals the daily input. At that time a steady state is the excretion capacity of the organism and result in a
reached. Should the intake now be diminished, the daily persistent positive balance and a continuing accumu
loss would initially exceed the inflow, resulting in a lation. That is the concern with certain heavy metals
diminution of the pool until at some time the smaller in the environment, such as lead and cadmium, and
daily outflow would again equal the inflow and a new even with the essential element, iron. On the other
equilibrium would be established. Thus, expressed in hand, extremely low intakes may not compensate for
practical terms, the amount of available nutrient in the minimal obligatory losses and result in deficiency.
diet determines the pool size with time, but does not (Minimal obligatory losses are those persisting in sub
predict a priori deficiency or toxicity. It must be under jects who are adapted to a diet severely deficient in the