Trace Elements in Medicine (Moscow)
2020, 21(4): 3-20
TOPICAL PAPERS

MICRONUTRIENT METABOLIC NETWORKS AND MULTIPLE MICRONUTRIENT DEFICIENCY: A RATIONALE FOR THE ADVANTAGES OF VITAMIN-MINERAL SUPPLEMENTS

V.M. Kodentsova¹, D.V. Risnik²

¹ Federal Research Centre of Nutrition, Biotechnology and Food Safety, Ustyinskiy proezd, d. 2/14, 109240, Moscow, Russia
² Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskiye Gory, 1, str. 12, 119234, Moscow, Russia

DOI: 10.19112/2413-6174-2020-21-4-3-20 

ABSTRACT. The nutrition of adult and children population of Russia is characterized by multiple micronutrient deficiency due to the simultaneous insufficient content of vitamins, calcium, magnesium, zinc, iodine and other mineral elements in the diet. A lack of several micronutrients can occur as a result of the use of various diets, medication, the development of the pathological process, increased needы of organism at various physiological, stressful situations of different etiologies. Micronutrients (vitamins and essential minerals) participate in numerous biochemical pathways, perform certain functions in the body, are closely interconnected in complex metabolic networks to maintain homeostasis and overall health. Like mosaics, individual fragments of this comprehensive network of micronutrients are “assembled”, the centers of which are selenium, iodine, vitamin D, iron, and functionally related vitamins of group B. Simultaneous multiple micronutrient deficiency creates a “causality network” of diseases, while, optimal sufficiency creates a “network of conditions that prevent diseases”. The concept of the correct ratios of essential micronutrients in the diet, as well as the optimal ratios of vitamins in the blood between themselves and indicators of lipid metabolism, is developing and is being confirmed. The physiological requirements for micronutrients (vitamin D, C, potassium, magnesium), which provide not only essentiality, but also optimality to maintain the body's health and reduce the risk of diseases, have being revised upward. Recommended intake of vitamins B1, B2 and niacin are correlated with energy consumption. Given the existence of metabolic networks of micronutrients and the presence of multiple micronutrient deficiency among the population, the superiority of multicomponent vitamin-mineral supplements undoubtedly superior to the effectiveness of individual micronutrients

KEYWORDS: micronutrient metabolic networks, multiple micronutrient deficiency, correction, vitamin-mineral supplements.