Fluoride ingestion induces formation of unusual macromolecular complexes in gut lumen which retard absorption of essential minerals and trace elements by chelation

This research study aimed to elucidate the impact of chronic fluoride exposure on absorption of essential minerals in gut and to decipher the mechanism of mineral deficiency due to fluoride ingestion. Male Wistar rats were randomly selected and divided in to three groups. Group-1 (G-1) was taken as control (non-fluoride exposed), while group-2 & group-3 (G-2&G-3) were administered a human equivalent dose of fluoride (50 and 100 ppm ad-libitum, HED=5 & 10 ppm in human, respectively) for 75-days. Serum fluoride concentrations were measured. Blood and stool concentration of essential minerals and trace elements were measured by ICP-MS. Chemical compounds present in the stool were also analysed by XRD. The chemical compounds and macromolecular complexes having fluoride and essential minerals were identified and quantified by Match3 software. In the fluoride exposed groups, the blood concentrations of essential minerals were significantly (≤0.05) lower than the control. While excretion of essential elements in stool were significantly higher in fluoride administered groups (≤0.05) compared to control group. The XRD analysis of stool showed formation of various unusual macromolecular chemical complexes in fluoride treated groups and the types and concentrations of these compounds increased with increasing fluoride dosage. The presence of fluoride in stomach, chelates minerals and reduced absorption. The fluoride induces formation of unusual high molecular weight macromolecular chelation complexes change the chemical species in the gut and the absorption of essential minerals reduced.