[Iron, copper and manganese metabolism in young sportsmen on diets supplemented with vitamins and microelements].

Young skiers and untrained schoolchildren were under observation. During autumn, they manifested an increase in trace elements in the blood, particularly iron and copper, whereas in spring and summer, a dramatic fall of these elements. Supplementation of the diets with vitamins did not produce any demonstrable beneficial effect on metabolism of trace elements. Intake of vitamins in conjunction with iron, copper and manganese was followed by a more pronounced increase, as compared with the "vitamin" and especially with the control groups, in hemoglobin, red cell count, ceruloplasmin activity and by the increment of trace elements in the blood in the presence of high retention of iron and manganese in the body.