title: Taurine normalizes blood levels and urinary loss of selenium, chromium, and manganese in rats chronically consuming alcohol.
abstract: The present study was undertaken to evaluate effects of dietary taurine supplementation on the homeostasis of trace elements, including Se, Cu, Mn and Cr, in rats chronically consuming alcohol. Male SD rats were fed for 8 wk a liquid form of a control diet (CD), an ethanol diet (ED), or a taurine-supplemented ethanol diet (TED). Plasma Se and Mn concentrations were significantly lower in the ED rats than in the CD rats; dietary taurine supplementation corrected alcohol-induced decreases in plasma Se and Mn levels. Chronic alcohol consumption significantly increased urinary excretion of Se (a 53% increase, p < 0.05), Cr (a 62% increase, p < 0.05), Mn (a 45% increase, p < 0.05) and Cu (a 30% increase, p < 0.05) in rats. Urinary losses of these trace elements induced by chronic alcohol consumption in rats were abolished by taurine supplementation. These results suggest that taurine supplementation in rats may protect against Se, Cr and Mn insufficiency caused by chronic alcohol-mediated loss of the trace elements in the urine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Nutrition, Brain Korea 21 Project, Yonsei University, Korea.
authors.forename: Taesun
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Keunsook
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Sung-Hee
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Dong-Hee
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ha Won
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000818:Animals; D002857:Chromium / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000187:drug effects; D008345:Manganese / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D051381:Rats; D012643:Selenium / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D013654:Taurine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D002857:Chromium; D013654:Taurine; D000431:Ethanol; D008345:Manganese; D012643:Selenium