Rick Malter, Ph.D.1; Cassie Rendon; Renee Aalund
[Original publication: Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine Vol. 20, No. 4, 2005]
Abstract
The close relationship between estrogen, copper and calcium suggested that significant gender differences would be found in Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) data for calcium, magnesium, and copper at different age levels. The estrogen, copper and calcium relationships also suggested that significant gender differences would be found in HTMA data at different age levels for certain ratios: calcium/potassium (Ca/K), calcium/phosphorus (Ca/P), calcium/magnesium (Ca/Mg), sodium/magnesium (Na/Mg) and zinc/copper (Zn/Cu). The data showed significant differences between males and females in levels of calcium and magnesium at ages 6, 12 and 18. Female calcium and magnesium levels were consistently higher at all three age levels. At age 18, significant gender differences were found in copper levels with females showing higher copper levels. Females also showed higher copper levels at ages 6 and 12, but the differences were not statistically significant. These elevated copper levels may be clinically significant for females. Significant differences between genders were found at all three age levels for the Ca/P ratios with higher female Ca/ P ratios. Elevated Ca/Mg ratios for both sexes suggest increased risk for diabetes and addictions. As expected, at ages 12 and 18, significant gender differences were found in Zn/Cu ratios with females showing lower Zn/Cu ratios. At age 6, no significant gender difference was found for the Zn/Cu ratio. These findings indicate a strong trend towards the emergence of slow metabolic mineral patterns with increasing age. This trend is much more pronounced in females than in males.
Introduction
In a recent study of gender differences in hair tissue mineral analysis (HTMA) patterns in 18 year-olds, several significant gender differences in nutrient mineral levels and ratios were found. These gender differences were related primarily to the high correlation between copper and estrogen. It is a well-established fact that estrogen has a strong effect on nutrient minerals and the functions that they help to regulate. The minerals most affected by estrogen are calcium, potassium, and copper. Other minerals that are affected by estrogen are magnesium, sodium, zinc, and phosphorus. The functions that are most strongly affected by the estrogen/ copper relationship are the activity of the thyroid, adrenals, and parathyroid glands, blood sugar regulation, blood pressure and psychological reactions such as depression, anxiety and panic attacks, and obsessive thinking. The earlier study noted several significant sex differences in mineral levels and in mineral ratios among 18 year-olds. The current study seeks to apply a developmental perspective by analyzing HTMA data on 6 and 12 year-old children and combining this new data with the earlier findings on 18 year-olds in order to determine whether the same types of sex differences occur in HTMA data at younger age levels or whether there are significant developmental trends in nutrient mineral patterns. In this present study, it was [continue reading full article here…]
