Scientific Articles Overview

OVERALL NUTRIENT INTERACTION

This research review explores the intricate interaction of nutritional substances in the body, exploring absorption and availability in both food-based and supplemental products. The author investigates and explains the effect that iron fortification has on zinc availability, finding that absorption is reduced in a dose-dependent manner, and that there is a reciprocal high zinc effect on iron. The relationship between iron and manganese (especially apparent in tea-drinking populations) is explored, as well as rather inconclusive though puzzling interactions between calcium, iron, and zinc. Zinc and copper/folate competition is noted, as is the relationship between vitamin C/vitamin A and iron. The author calls for more experimentation to clarify and confirm the effects of vitamin/mineral interactions.

  VITAMIN A and ZINC:
 Research from the University of Bangladesh articulates the cooperative activity of zinc and vitamin A through experimental research. By giving either pure vitamin A, vitamin A and zinc, or a placebo liquid to children with vitamin A deficiency, their research confirmed that zinc significantly improves the utilization of vitamin A and reduces deficiency moreso than the vitamin on its own.

  VITAMIN A, E and C:
This study investigates the possible cooperative antioxidant activity of Vitamins C, E, and beta carotene (vitamin A). Because of the particular characteristics of each antioxidant the authors suggest that they may work together to prevent oxidation of lipids in the solutions and membranes of the body, protecting the organs and tissues from damage.

  VITAMIN A and IRON:
Through their experimentation, the authors of this recent study concluded that vitamin A deficiency results in an alteration of iron metabolism in the body, further worsening anemia already present. They call for further research in this area in order to accurately determine how Vitamin A and iron interact specifically.
This research explored the possible effects of combining vitamin A with lavash breadh- a traditional Iranian food that is high in iron but low in vitamin A- to establish whether vitamin A may increase iron absorption and utilization. The results confirmed their hypothesis, as the nutrients appeared to work synergistically to improve iron bioavailability and nutritional status.

  VITAMIN B12 and COPPER, VITAMIN B1, VITAMIN C:
Through homogenizing conventional multivitamin/mineral supplements and isolating the cobalamin (vitamin B12) within, researchers were able to determine that the presence of copper, thiamine (vitamin B1) and vitamin C has a deleterious effect on the bioavailability of B12 in supplemental form. In the analogue form, vitamin B12 cannot be absorbed and may actually be harmful to the individual consuming them, as they inhibit necessary enzymatic activity that must be active in order to utilize functional forms of cobalamin.

  VITAMIN C AND IRON:
Research focused on the difference between long-term supplementation with vitamin C and iron versus single meal assessments of vitamin C/iron interactions. The reseachers concluded that long term ascorbic acid (vitamin C) consumption in the presence of normal, iron-containing meals had far less significantly effects than when utilized in higher doses at a single meal (or in the case of supplementation, quite possibly), though the two were still positively correlated (ie: higher vitamin C was positively correlated with iron absorption).

  CALCIUM and IRON:
The author expresses concern over recommended calcium supplementation levels, as high calcium is known to depress the bioavailability of iron. They call for separating high iron meals from calcium supplements in order to maintain iron status in the presence of increased calcium, and for further exploration into the specific mechanism by which calcium and iron interact metabolically.

  CALCIUM and MAGNESIUM:
This research from the Netherlands looked at the potential therapeutic activity of magnesium supplementation in individuals with hypercalciuria and resulting kidney stone formation. They concluded that supplemental magnesium reduces absorption of calcium in the body, a beneficial effect for those looking to reduce the levels of calcium in their body, but a negative mineral/mineral interaction to be taken into consideration when supplementing.

 CALCIUM and ZINC:

It is known that zinc and calcium compete for binding sites in the intestines, but the dosage at which this competition becomes apparent for mineral status is unclear. The researchers in this study attempted to determine what effect zinc supplementation would have on the bioavailability of calcium at both low and adequate levels. Though zinc supplementation appeared to have minimal effect on the absorption of calcium at higher dietary levels, when the amount of calcium was reduced there was a profound decrease in availability due to zinc presence. As many people in North America are assumed to lack sufficient calcium in their diets, this research confirms that separating the supplementation of calcium and zinc is both logical and ideal in order to prevent competition and deficiencies.

 CHROMIUM and IRON:

In order to utilize dietary iron and chromium, the compound transferrin is required. However, these two minerals compete for both absorption and attachment to transferrin in the body, resulting in a decrease in iron availability when chromium is present in excess amounts. This research confirmed (in a strictly chemical manner) that binding that occurs between chromium and transferrin is capable of significantly preventing iron binding in experimental trials.

 VITAMIN D AND CALCIUM:

Presented as an overview of current data, the author of this article explores the intricacies of the synergistic relationship between calcium and vitamin D, establishing their interaction in the absorption of calcium for bone maintenance, the absorption of vitamin D for bone maintenance, and the overall effect of the two on non-skeletal aspects such as cancer.

 VITAMIN E and SELENIUM:
In advance of the SELECT trials (investigating the potential effects of selenium and vitamin E on prostate cancer occurrence), this experimentation looked at the synergistic effect of selenium on the ability of Vitamin E to inhibit prostate cancer cells. The authors believe their results confirm that antioxidant activity follows particular pathways in metabolic reactions, and that that this activity may be increased or decreased by the presence of other nutrients or antioxidants, such as in the combination of selenium and vitamin E.

IRON, ZINC, and COPPER:
Through experimentation, this study confirmed that excess supplementation of zinc has a significant effect on the iron and copper status of rats (assumed to be similar in physiology in this respect to humans). In the presence of zinc supplementation, iron bioavailability was decreased, as was copper availability.

 MAGNESIUM and VITAMIN B6:
The effect of magnesium and vitamin B6 has been investigated before, though the authors of this research wanted to determine whether the combination of the two nutrients would be more effective at reducing symptoms of PMS than just with magnesium alone (which has been utilized as an effective PMS remedy). Through double-blind placebo-controlled trials, they determined that vitamin B6 and magnesium actually enhance the effects of one another, providing a PMS treatment that is significantly more effective than either nutrient alone.

 MANGANESE and CALCIUM:
Manganese and calcium compete for absorption sites in the small intestine, so that if the diet is high in one mineral it is quite likely that the other will be deficient. This experimental research confirmed this knowledge, specifically noting that the presence of calcium reduces manganese absorption in both the proximal jejunum and in the colon. They did, however, find the absorption of manganese was enhanced in the distal jejunum when calcium was present, though the reason or mode of action behind this was unclear.

 MANGANESE and IRON:
This research confirmed that zinc and manganese interfere with the absorption of iron in the body, due to similar physiochemical properties and shared absorptive pathways. Both as a supplemental solution and as a natural component of a meal, manganese was found to significantly reduce the availability of iron to the body.

 MOLYBDENUM and COPPER:
Dietary molybdenum was found to increase the excretion of copper as a bile compound in this experimentation, reducing retention of the element and actually preventing molybdenum retention as well. Assumed to be because the elements compete for attachment sites and compounds, this research confirmed the negative interaction that exists between molybdenum and copper. While, yes, this research was conducted on ponies, it is assumed that the same effects would be noted in humans.

 ZINC and FOLIC ACID:
This research was conducted by in vitro and in vivo studies, aimed at determining the effect of zinc presence on folic acid transport, and vice versa. Zinc transport was found to be significantly reduced when folic acid was supplemented. This occurs due to the formation of complexes, and this formation only occurs at particular pH values. In the intestinal lumen (where absorption should be occurring for both nutrients) it was suggested that a mutual inhibition of absorption may occur for both nutrients involved.

 ZINC and VITAMIN B12:
The treatment of diarrhea is often improved with zinc supplementation, presumably for the immune support provided. In this research, the authors attempted to determine whether a deficiency of folate or cobalamin (vitamin B12) would have any effect on the efficacy of zinc to improve illness. While there was no difference found in children with folate deficiency, it was noted that there was a significant difference in treatment outcome between those who had cobalamin deficiency and those who did not when the diarrhea was chronic. the diarrhea was chronic.

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