Trace element risk assessment: essentiality vs. toxicity

• Published in: Regulatory toxicology and pharmacology Vol. 38; no. 2; pp. 232 - 242
• Main Author: Goldhaber, Susan B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Inc 01.10.2003
• Subjects: Adequate intake; Clinical Trials as Topic; Diet; Dietary reference intake; Essential elements; Estimated average requirement; Humans; Nutrition Policy; Recommended daily allowance; Reference daily intake; Reference dose; Risk Assessment; Tolerable upper intake level; Trace elements; Trace Elements - administration & dosage; Trace Elements - toxicity; United States; United States Food and Drug Administration - standards; World Health Organization; United States; Reference daily intake; Risk assessment; Tolerable upper intake level; Recommended daily allowance; Dietary reference intake; Trace elements; Reference dose; Essential elements; Estimated average requirement; Adequate intake
• ISSN: 0273-2300; 1096-0295
• DOI: 10.1016/S0273-2300(02)00020-X

Risk assessment of essential trace elements examines high intakes resulting in toxicity and low intakes resulting in nutritional deficiencies. This paper analyzes the risk assessments carried out by several U.S. governmental and private organizations for eight essential trace elements: chromium, copper, iodine, iron, manganese, molybdenum, selenium, and zinc. The compatibility of the toxicity values with the nutritionally essential values is examined, in light of recently derived values, termed Dietary Reference Intakes, set by the U.S. Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine. The results show that although there are differences in the values set by the different organizations, increased coordination has resulted in values that are more compatible than revealed in past evaluations.