Trace elements nutritional status. Use of hair as a diagnostic tool.

In this study, hair levels of Cu and Zn were determined in healthy male and female individuals (n = 192) ages 3.6-14.5 yr and the correlations with Cu and Zn daily intakes were examined. Determinations of Cu and Zn concentrations were performed by way of atomic absorption spectrometry and X-ray fluorescence. Nutritional data were collected with the aid of an individual questionnaire. Statistical analysis revealed no effect of age and sex either on Cu concentrations in hair or on Cu daily intakes. Zn concentrations were significantly higher in hair of both pubescent males and females compared with prepubescent individuals. There was no influence of age on Zn daily intake in males, however, whereas pubescent girls had a lower intake than males. Correlation coefficients between Cu concentrations in hair and daily nutritional intakes calculated for males and females were r = 0.1694 and r = 0.1677, respectively; those for Zn were r = -0.2223 (p < 0.05) in males and r = -0.2787 (p < 0.01) in females. These data confirm that the analysis of Zn in hair represents an addition to conventional materials in the assessment of the nutritional status of groups of individuals.