Note: The method described below was used in the past, and may be revived in the future.  But  it is still experimental, and we do not know of any doctor or lab using it today.

Quantitative determination of 18 mineral elements in blood serum: values in Chronic-Degenerative diseases, previously diagnosticated.

Donato Perez Garcia [y Bellon], M.D. 1984

OBJECTIVES:

1. To elaborate a Table, In concentrating measuring units expressed in parts per million (PPM), for each chronic- degenerative disease previously diagnosticated, that will have the statistical range (upper and lower limits) for each of the 18 mineral elements quantitatively determined in blood serum samples, and which may be utilized for:

1.1. Facilitating the differential diagnosis;

1.2. Assisting in the early detection of the disease, even asymptomatic, and preventing unrepairable damage;

1.3. Estimating the activity of the disease, and;

1.4. Assisting in the evaluation of the effect of the therapeutical agent used.

2. To not replace the correct clinical criterion, and the basic knowledge of the medicine.

BACKGROUND:

        Of the 100 chemical elements found in the cortex of the Earth, only 22 are essential components of live organisms (Table 1), and only 16 thereof are found in all kinds of organisms. 

        The inorganic components of the human body are mainly sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus and sulphur. These constitute the major part of the skeleton minerals as well as of the most abundant buffer ions in the body fluids. Together with these there are other present in a minor concentration, reason why they are called trace elements like copper, molybdenum, cobalt, manganese, zinc, chromium, iodine and fluoride. Also in the body ashes other elements are found such as: barium, strontium, lead, nickel and mercury. No important role in metabolism has been assigned to the latter; they only represent accumulations without controlled absorption or excretion, so they are considered as polluting residuals of the body.

        Minerals are essential factors in the nutrition of the human being. They are essential for the bones, teeth, muscles, blood and nerve cells. They act as enzymic cofactors for many biochemical reactions, and some are an important part in hormone production.

        The functions in the metabolism of the human body, of the elements described up to this date by other investigators, include:

1) Sodium, potassium and chloride: these, can be found in major amounts in the body fluids. Sodium and chloride are more abundant in the extracellular fluids. potassium is found in major concentration intracellularly, and is necessary for muscle contraction (specially cardiac fiber), transmission o4 the nerve impulses, synthesis of some proteins, and as an enzymic cofactor. 2>Calcium: this is the main component of bones and teeth. It acts in the process of coagulation, regulation of the heart beat, cellular permeability, muscular contraction, transmission of the nerve impulses and enzymic activity.

3) Phosphorus: this element is closed related to calcium. It forms part of the phospholipids (Lecithin); utilization and storage of energy in the form of ATP.

4) Magnesium: this Is joined to phosphates and calcium in the skeleton. It interferes in ATP dependant reactions. It acts as a depressor of the nervous system, and also elicits hypotension. It is closely related to the B-6 vitamin.

5) Iron: necessary for the synthesis of the heme portion of the hemoglobin and myoglobin as well as nonheme proteins, and other intracellular molecules called the cytochromes which are involved in the oxidation of metabolites. About 25% of the body iron Is stored in the liver, spleen, and bone. In plasma it is joined to a protein: transferrin.

6) Copper: this is essential in the functioning of some enzymes, It strengthens the vascular wall, it is necessary for the formation of bones and teeth, and Is related to iron and vitamin A. It is bound in plasma to ceruloplasmin.

7) Manganese: this is essential for growth, reproduction, and skeletal development. It is necessary for the functioning of the nervous system, and some enzymes.

8)  Zinc necessary for growth and development; utilized by the nervous system, and favors healing process. It is essential for many enzymes, and works together with vitamin A. It is particularly necessary for the functioning of the reproductive tissue.

9) Molybdenum: essential for some enzymes.

10) Selenium: essential in the functioning of several enzymes, specially those related to glutathione. It operates together with vitamin E.

11) Chromium: forms part of the GTP which is a cyclic nucleotide with a regulation function in the eukaryotic cell, and specially with the metabolisms of glucose and insulin.

12) Aluminum: it has been found that this element favors the degenerative processes of the nervous cell,

        Today the cell is operationally appreciated as a chemical field wherein specific membranous structures absorb, assimilate, segregate, and excrete the basic chemical components to maintain homeostasis. These components are: proteins, lipids and carbohydrates. These in turn, are formed from amino acids, triglycerides, fatty acids, monosaccharides, disaccharides, mineral elements, vitamins and enzymes.

        A disease can de defined as an alteration in the homeostasis, which can have many causes, as p.c.: alteration in synthesis, deficiencies in excretion of one or several chemical components. For this reason the determination of minerals is important in case of a disease since these are essential part of nucleoproteins, metalloproteins, chromoproteins, nucleic acids, nucleotides (ATP), enzymes (Co-enzyme A), lipoproteins, etc.

        Up to this date, the determination of each of the mineral elements has been done on an isolated basis by knowing the normal concentration, and of some the toxic concentration. It is also known in which diseases a specific mineral element finds itself increased or reduced. The elements most determined 'in laboratory are: in the blood: calcium, chloride, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, copper, sodium and potassium; in the urine: calcium, phosphorus, lead and mercury; in the cerebrospinal fluid: sodium, potassium and mercury; and, in the feces: calcium.  From this, the importance can be seen of the formulation of a specific Table for each chronic-degenerative disease that contains the values of the 18 mineral elements determined in this study.

PLANNING OF THE INVESTIGATION:

        Here a problem is dealt with of basic biomedical research in the laboratory of clinical analysis, with the intention to establish a Table for the following diseases:

1)Asthma; 2)Chronic Bronchitis; 3)Lung Neoplasias*; 4)Peptic Ulcer Disease; 5)Gastric Neoplasias*; 6)Colonic Neoplasias*; 7)Hepatic Failure; 8)Hepatic Neoplasias*; 9)Pancreatic Neoplasias*; 1O)Acute and. Chronic Leukemia; 11)Melanoma; 12)Diabetes Mellitus; 13)Prostatic Hypertrophy*; 14)Testicular Neoplasias*; 15)Breast Cancer; 16)Cancer of the Cervix; 17)Cancer of the Uterus; 18) Fibrocystic disease of the Breast, and; 19)Rheumatlc Arthritis.

*Benign and malignant.

In each Table the upper, and lower limits are recorded for:

calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, phosphorus, silicon, chromium, manganese, molybdenum, iron, copper, zinc, and selenium which are utilized by the cellular metabolism as anabolics, and:

aluminum, cadmium, lead, mercury, and nickel which are toxic products found in the organism. All of the above in relation to: 1)Disease, and; 2)Sex. (See Table*2 as an example).

CLINIC MATERIAL

        The serum sample is obtained from all patients examined in the private consultation of the office:  Consultorio Drs. Perez Garcia, Mexico city, from 1975 through 1984, which were submitted to a clinical diagnosis, and which were corroborated with the laboratory, and cabinet studies required for each case:. Two groups were established; male and female. RESOURCES:

A) Human: One nurse for obtaining the sample, and who processes the sample (see Method-2). A technician capacitated for the sample analyzing (see Method-3).

B) Physical: syringes of 10cc, needles B-D 22x32, essay tubes of 10cc, paper sheets of parchment of 9 x 9 cm, filter paper, precipitation vessels of 50 cc, copper electrodes TW14 of 8.5 cm of. length, sterile distilled water, Centrifuge of 10,000 RPM, device for Electrolysis of 32 Volts (described in Method-2), Emission Spectrometer for the analysis of the sample (see Method-3),and a Personal Computer ALTOS 580-2 with database program for statistical analysis (see Method-4).

C) Financial: The cost per sample analyzed is US $16.50.

METHODS:

1. Obtention of the sample: the patient was called to the office in the morning, with fasting of 10 hours. An 8cc blood sample is drawn with a sterile syringe an emptied in an essay tube. The sample then is placed in the Centrifuge at 10,000 RPM during 40 minutes to separate off, 3 cc of serum.

2. Processing of the sample: the 3 cc of serum are emptied on a membrane made of parchment paper of 9 x 9 cm, and the same was shaped like the finger of a glove.

The Electrolysis device, which is of the home made type, has a:

a) voltage regulator of 60 cycles for alternating current; b) polarized plug for 125 volts of current; c.) voltage measurer, and a milliampere meter on the frontal panel; d) voltmeter gage; e) current switch; f) a support of aluminum for a precipitation vessel of 50 cc; g) two interchangeable devices for adapting the electrodes (anode and cathode).

        The precipitation vessel is poured up to 40 cc of sterile distilled water, and placed on the aluminum support of the Electrolysis device, and then the electrodes are placed within the vessel. Between the copper electrodes, the membrane made out. of parchment paper, as described above, with the 3 cc of serum in the interior of it, is put inside the vessel procuring that no distilled water enters the membrane of parchment paper. Then the Electrolysis device is turn on, and the voltmeter is calibrated at 32 volts. The membrane of parchment paper with . the serum inside is left for a period of 2 hours in the electrolytic cube.

        At the end of the reaction, the device is turned off, the parchment membrane is taken out, and the serum of its interior emptied in an essay tube. This serum may have changed its color, turning to a dark yellow, brown, red, gray, and some other colors can be observed. The copper electrodes are taken out of the interior of the vessel, and this precipitation vessel is separated from its support. The contents - distilled water and mineral elements is stirred, and emptied to be filtered by the filter paper on which the metal residuals are collected which are the result of the electrolytic process of the blood serum. The same is left during 24 hours for drying, and then a very fine powder is obtained, also with different colorations. This powder is the matter to be analyzed in the Emission Spectrometer.

(At present I have already 3,800 samples processed)

3. Analysis of the sample: the samples are sent to a laboratory equipped with an Emission Spectrometer where they do the determination of the 18 trace elements and report the results of concentration of: calcium, chromium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, silicon, sodium, zinc, aluminum, cadmium, lead, mercury, and nickel per each sample analyzed, and printed by a computer. The actual laboratory taking care of the analysis is: MICROTRACE MINERALS, 915 King St. Suite B 43,Alexandria,VA,22314.USA.

(At present I have 271 samples analyzed, and printed reported)

4. Analysis of the concentration values, reported from the Emission spectrometer analyzer, of the 18 mineral elements obtained from the blood serum processed by Electrolysis: A computer program specially designed for this study carries out the following mathematical, and statistical functions: 1)to group the samples by Diagnosis, and to separate them by sex; •2)to establish series of values for each element determined; 3) in each series the arithmetic average Is calculated, as well as the standard deviation, the standard error, and the percentile values with the percentages accumulated; 4) the limits of concentration accepted are established for each element by applying the following formula: the arithmetic average plus or less 1.96 standard deviations; 5) a calculation is made with the variance' analysis (F), and the Real Significant Minimum Difference according to Tukey (DMSR) to establish if there is a significant / difference between the various chronic-degenerative diseases studied, and the values found of the mineral elements, and; between' the different sex, and these same values, and; 6) when this Tables for each chronic-degenerative disease are fully matured, will be saved in the program memory of the computer.

        Whenever this blood serum trace element analysis is performed to a patient the values obtained can be confronted, and classified thus facilitating the differential diagnosis.

ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS:

        The study produces a minimum of inconveniences for the patient, and the information obtained therefrom can be highly valuable.

DANGEROUS PROCEDURES:

None.

RESULTS TO BE EXPECTED:

        To obtain a Table for each disease that contains the values of 18 mineral elements which. may be utilized as an auxiliary guide in the differential diagnosis of chronic-degenerative diseases, to help in the prevention of a disease when the same still asymptomatic, and as a guide to evaluate the effectiveness of a medical treatment.

CONCLUSIONS:

        The establishment of the values of calcium, chromium, copper, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, silicon, sodium, zinc, aluminum, cadmium, lead, mercury, and nickel for each chronic-degenerative disease has great importance within the medical biochemistry field, since one or several chemical alterations are the cause or causes originating the pathological processes as well as the alteration of one or various mineral elements which can give raise to these chemical changes., However, . it is necessary to extend the group of mineral elements determined, and also diseases not included in this study. 

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