LIFE STYLE RISK FACTORS PREDISPOSITION AND BLOOD LEVELS OF TRACE ELEMENTS AND HEAVY METALS AMONG FEMALE MEDICAL STUDENTS.

Background: Repeated exposure to both essential and toxic elements can lead to bioaccumulation and toxicity of these elements. Objectives: To assess the life style predisposing factors and the levels of both essential elements (zinc, copper and selenium) and heavy metals (mercury, lead, cadmium and arsenic) among healthy female medical students. Methodology: This was a cross sectional study of 224 healthy female medical students (mean age 22.17±1.90 years) performed between December 2013 and April 2014 at King Saud University. Information about exposure to risk factors was obtained using self-administered questionnaire. Blood levels of trace and toxic elements were assessed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICPMS)and results were compared with normal reference ranges of Mayo Clinic. Results: The mean serum level of trace elements including copper (15.64±3.15) µmol/l, zinc (11.43±1.60 µmol/l) and selenium (1.44±0.17 µmol/l) were within the expected range. Similarly among the metals mean arsenic (0.04±0.06 µmol/l), mercury (2.82±1.19 nmol/l), lead (0.25±0.16 µmol/l) and cadmium (16.93±10.23 nmol/l) levels were also within the expected normal ranges. Eyeliner was used by 85.7%, lip-gloss was used by 70.5%, 72.8% consumed canned food and 71% consumed sea food regularly. Only 6.25% were smokers. Serum lead levels in 24 (10.7%) and arsenic levels in 11 (5%) students were higher than the expected normal values. None of the risk factors was found to be a significant predisposition. Conclusion: Despite of the exposure to predisposing factors the female medical students had normal mean blood levels of trace elementsand heavy metals.