Abstract

Background and Aim: Obesity is a multifactorial disease that can lead to nutritional metabolic disorders, in which the general state of trace elements and minerals are altered. Thus, research involving biological fluids to assess the metabolic nutritional status of minerals Manganese (Mn); Selenium (Se); Strontium (Sr); Zinc (Zn); Molybdenum (Mo); Copper (Cu); Iron (Fe); Calcium (Ca); Magnesium (Mg) and Chromium (Cr) are essential in people with obesity. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the concentrations of these trace elements and minerals in different biological fluids (plasma, erythrocytes, saliva, urine and tear) from people with and without obesity. Methods: The experimental sample consisted of 28 volunteers divided into two groups: Obesity Group (OG, n = 14) and Non-Obese (NO, n = 14), who were clinically evaluated by anthropometry, body composition and biochemical tests. Minerals were assessed in different biological fluids (plasma, erythrocyte, saliva, urine and tear) using the ICP-MS methodology. A significance level of 5% ( p < 0.05) was considered. Data were shown as mean ± standard deviation. Results: Anthropometric evaluation, body composition and LDL-cholesterol were significantly higher in the OG ( p < 0.05), as expected. Plasma minerals were significantly lower in OG than the NO (Se = 184 ± 102 vs 229 ± 83 μg/L ( p = = 0.027); Fe = 578 ± 346 vs 1099 ± 529 μg/L ( p = 0.005), respectively). Erythrocyte and salivary minerals were significantly higher in, in OG than the NO, (erythrocyte Mg = 5.8 ± 0.8 vs 5.0 ± 0.7 mg/dL ( p = 0.041) and salivary Ca = 2.7 ± 0.9 vs 1.8 ± 1.0 mg/dL ( p = 0.027), respectively). Furthermore, urine minerals were significantly lower in OG than the NO, (Se = 17.4 ± 5.6 vs 26.0 ± 12.7 μg/L ( p = 0.034) and Mo = 27.0 ± 14.3 vs 52 ± 39.2 μg/L ( p = 0.041), respectively). Regarding tears, there was no difference between groups ( p > 0.05). Conclusion: Our study provides a better understanding of minerals concentrations in different biological fluids in people with obesity. Besides, this study may contribute to future identification of potential minerals biomarkers. However, considering our study’s major limitation was its small sample size, caution should be taken when interpreting the results.