Zhang Shuai, Tang Hanhan, Zhou Minglian, Pan Linqing
Department of Male Reproductive Health, Lianyungang Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Lianyungang, China.
Clinical Center of Reproductive Medicine, Lianyungang Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Lianyungang, China.
Front Nutr. 2025 Jan 10;11:1521826. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2024.1521826. eCollection 2024.
Salt usage patterns have been associated with a risk of multiple diseases; however, their relationship with heavy metal exposure has not been extensively studied.
This study analyzed survey data from 11,574 NHANES participants. Weighted linear regression models were used to examine the relationship between the type of salt used by participants, the frequency of adding salt at the table, and the frequency of adding regular or seasoned salt to cooking or food preparation, and urinary concentrations of 10 heavy metals. Multiple sensitivity analyses were also performed.
The weighted regression analysis indicated that participants' salt usage patterns were associated with an increased urinary excretion of certain heavy metals. Specifically, regarding the type of salt used, compared to regular salt, the use of salt substitutes was significantly positively correlated with urinary molybdenum (Mo) levels, while not using salt or substitutes at the table was significantly positively correlated with urinary levels of both Mo and arsenic (As). In terms of the frequency of adding regular salt at the table, frequent addition compared to rarely adding salt was significantly positively correlated with urinary levels of cadmium (Cd), and antimony (Sb), while showing a significant negative correlation with urinary Mo levels. Additionally, when examining the frequency of using regular salt during cooking or food preparation, those who occasionally or very often added regular salt had significantly higher urinary levels of barium (Ba), cesium (Cs), and thallium (Tl) compared to those who never added regular salt during cooking. These associations remained stable in sensitivity analyses.
Our analysis revealed that participants' salt usage patterns are associated with increased excretion of certain heavy metals, suggesting possible increased exposures to these metals. While these findings are concerning, they require validation in other populations and should be confirmed through prospective studies designed based on this hypothesis.
盐的使用模式与多种疾病风险相关；然而，它们与重金属暴露之间的关系尚未得到广泛研究。
本研究分析了来自11574名美国国家健康与营养检查调查（NHANES）参与者的调查数据。使用加权线性回归模型来研究参与者使用的盐的类型、在餐桌上加盐的频率以及在烹饪或食物制备过程中添加普通盐或调味盐的频率与10种重金属的尿浓度之间的关系。还进行了多项敏感性分析。
加权回归分析表明，参与者的盐使用模式与某些重金属的尿排泄增加有关。具体而言，就使用的盐的类型而言，与普通盐相比，使用盐替代品与尿钼（Mo）水平显著正相关，而在餐桌上不使用盐或替代品与尿钼和砷（As）水平均显著正相关。就餐桌上添加普通盐的频率而言，频繁添加与很少添加盐相比，与尿镉（Cd）和锑（Sb）水平显著正相关，而与尿钼水平呈显著负相关。此外，在检查烹饪或食物制备过程中使用普通盐的频率时，与在烹饪过程中从不添加普通盐的人相比，偶尔或经常添加普通盐的人尿钡（Ba）、铯（Cs）和铊（Tl）水平显著更高。这些关联在敏感性分析中保持稳定。
我们的分析表明，参与者的盐使用模式与某些重金属排泄增加有关，这表明可能增加了对这些金属的暴露。虽然这些发现令人担忧，但它们需要在其他人群中进行验证，并应通过基于这一假设设计的前瞻性研究加以证实。
