title: Decrease of trace elements in erythrocytes and plasma after removal of dental amalgam and other metal alloys.
abstract: The objective of this study was to determine the concentration changes of 13 elements in erythrocytes and plasma after the removal of dental amalgam and other metal alloys. Blood samples from 250 patients were collected, separated into erythrocytes and plasma, and analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. The 250 patients were divided into 3 groups (Negative, Zero, and Positive) depending on their estimation of quality of life in an earlier study. Magnesium in plasma, selenium and mercury in plasma, and erythrocytes showed decreased concentrations after amalgam removal in all groups (p < 0.05). Titanium in plasma, copper in plasma, and erythrocytes and zinc in plasma exhibited decreased concentrations after amalgam removal in the Negative and Positive groups (p < 0.05). Silver in plasma and gold in erythrocytes decreased in the Zero and Positive groups after amalgam removal (p < 0.05). Copper in erythrocytes and silver and gold in plasma showed higher concentrations after amalgam removal in the Negative compared to the Positive group (p < 0.05), suggesting that patients in the Negative group excrete metals slowly. Moreover, the cobalt levels in plasma were lowest in the Negative group and only this group showed a significant increase in vitamin B12 levels in blood after amalgam removal.
authors.affiliation: Foundation for Metal Biology, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Frisk
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lindvall
authors.forename: Romuald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hudecek
authors.forename: Ulf
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Lindh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002623:Chemistry Techniques, Analytical / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D003035:Cobalt / Q000737:chemistry; D003722:Dental Alloys / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D003723:Dental Amalgam / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008274:Magnesium / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D008875:Middle Aged; D010949:Plasma / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000032:analysis*; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D015032:Zinc / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D003722:Dental Alloys; D014131:Trace Elements; D003035:Cobalt; D003723:Dental Amalgam; D008274:Magnesium; D015032:Zinc; D014805:Vitamin B 12