CALCIUM, MAGNESIUM, AND PHOSPHORUS-CONTENT OF HAIR FROM 2 POPULATIONSOF RHESUS-MONKEYS

The use of hair for the assessment of human mineral nutritional status is controversial, yet has potential because of the ease of collection and storage, and the high concentration of minerals in hair. This stu dy generated baseline values for hair macromineral content in the most commonly used primate model for human nutrition and disease, the rhes us monkey. Hair digests from monkeys in Maryland (n=98) and Puerto Ric o (n=208) were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). Significant differences existed between the tw o populations for hair calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and phosphorus (P ) (P <0.01, P <0.001, P<0.02). Male hair had higher concentrations of Mg in specimens from the Puerto Rican population (P <0.001), whereas h air phosphorus was higher in female hair (P <0.02). There were no sign ificant differences attributable to pregnancy status. Differences in h air content attributable to categorical age were found for Ca and Mg ( P <0.001, P <0.01). Significant location differences paralleled dietar y differences. These values therefore can be considered reference rang es for hair Ca, Mg, and P for free-ranging and caged rhesus monkeys.