• M M Berger.
• Service de médecine intensive adulte et brûlés, CHUV, 1011 Lausanne. mette.berger@chuv.ch
• Rev Med Suisse. 2012 Oct 31;8(360):2078-82, 2084.

AbstractEssential trace elements are inorganic metalloid substances: insufficient intakes cause predictable biological and clinical alterations. Numerous factors contribute to the alterations of iron, iodine, selenium, and zinc status, such as low soil content resulting in low food content, malabsorption, or biological fluid losses. Age categories at high risk of deficit in the general population include children, pregnant and lactating women, and elderly; critical illness is a specific condition. Substitution and supplementation studies that respect physiological nutritional doses result in significant clinical benefits: improved immunity and cognitive functions, better wound healing. Supplementation with supra-nutritional doses in subjects or patients with adequate status may result in deleterious cancer and cardiovascular consequences due to their potential toxicity.

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