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Associations between Hair Mineral Concentrations and Skeletal Muscle Mass in Korean Adults

  • Original Research
  • Published:
The journal of nutrition, health & aging

Abstract

Objectives

Muscle health plays an important role in maintaining function and independence in the elderly, and some nutrients provide protection against the age-related decline of muscle strength and function. Minerals are important nutrients that may contribute to the prevention and treatment of sarcopenia, but they have not been well-studied. This study investigated whether hair mineral concentrations differ between subjects with low muscle mass (LMM) and subjects with normal muscle mass.

Design

Cross-sectional study.

Setting And Participants

A total of 232 adults ≥ 20 years of age who visited the Health Promotion Center of the University Hospital in Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea.

Measurements

The data from 232 subjects were analyzed and divided into LMM and normal groups based on the appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (ASMI) (LMM was defined as ASMI < 7.0 kg/m2 in men and < 5.7 kg/m2 in women). Skeletal muscle mass was estimated using a multi-frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) device with a body composition analyzer.

Results

Overall mean age of participants was 50.4±11.6 years (29.7% women). Subjects with LMM showed significantly lower triglyceride levels, greater high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, and lower body mass index (BMI), compared with subjects who had normal muscle mass. No significant differences in hair mineral concentrations were observed between subjects with LMM and subjects with normal muscle mass, with the exception of copper. Hair copper concentrations were significantly greater in subjects with LMM than in subjects with normal muscle mass after adjustment for covariates and factors (65.7±14.2 vs 33.1±4.3 µg/g, P = 0.035).

Conclusion

These results suggest that hair mineral status may play a role in the development of LMM. Therefore, further studies with larger numbers of subjects are required to identify the effects of mineral imbalances, their relationships with sarcopenia, and the differences between subjects with LMM and subjects with normal muscle mass.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Family Medicine, St. Vincent’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Jungbu-daero 93, Paldal-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do, 16247, Republic of Korea

    Y.-A. Lee, H.-N. Kim & Sang-Wook Song

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  1. Y.-A. Lee
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  2. H.-N. Kim
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  3. Sang-Wook Song
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Correspondence to Sang-Wook Song.

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For this type of study, formal consent was not required. The study was approved by the Catholic University of Korea St. Vincent’s Hospital Institutional Review Board (IRB approval number: VC19RISI0276).

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The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

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The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

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Lee, YA., Kim, HN. & Song, SW. Associations between Hair Mineral Concentrations and Skeletal Muscle Mass in Korean Adults. J Nutr Health Aging 26, 515–520 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-022-1789-5

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