Nutrient and Toxic Elements: Erythrocyte and Whole Blood*

Erythrocyte and whole blood toxic element levels are good indicators of body pools of essential elements as well as the toxic elements aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury. The Metametrix Nutrient and Toxic Elements Profile is an especially accurate way of determining whole body status of potassium and selenium.

Whole Blood generally reflects increased or recent exposure to toxic elements. The Metametrix Toxic Metals Profile shows levels of cadmium, lead, and mercury.

Nutrient Elements

Nutrient elements are measured in erythrocytes and toxic elements are measured in whole blood. One exception is selenium, which is measured in whole blood as a reliable index of selenium status. Erythrocyte element levels are good indicators of body pools of essential elements such as magnesium, potassium, chromium, and zinc.  Often referred to as minerals, the chemical elements are fundamental to every function in the body. They join together in crystalline structures to form bone. They shuttle independently across membranes, resulting in nerve impulses, or serve at the heart of many enzyme molecules to direct chemical processes. The importance of calcium and phosphorus to bone formation and the electrolyte role of sodium and potassium are commonly understood. Magnesium is involved in over 300 chemical reactions in the body, including all ATP transformations and therefore all cellular energy production. Depletion from food sources has resulted in a near epidemic of magnesium insufficiency. Selenium is required by the enzyme glutathione peroxidase, which maintains the oxidative balance in all tissue. Low selenium, therefore, can directly influence an individual's antioxidant protection.  Chromium and manganese are especially important in insulin insensitivity and Metabolic Syndrome. Zinc deficiency has been implicated in a variety of disorders, including sexual impotence, retarded growth, hair loss, and immune system depression. Because of rapid depletion of all elements, analysis should be standard protocol before and throughout chelation therapy. Nutrient element analysis is critical for identifying both the need for and monitoring the adequacy of either oral or IV supplementation. It is because of their diverse and vital roles that nutrient element imbalances are frequently found to be factors in degenerative diseases. Since the body cannot manufacture the elements—and daily losses are unavoidable—the nutrient elements are all "essential" and must regularly be taken in through the diet. But they are easily lost in food processing, so it’s easy to see how deficiencies can occur.

*Some analytes may not be reported in New York Profiles. Please see Clinician Info and CPT Codes for details.