Vanadium

  • Although there is evidence to suggest that vanadium may be required in human nutrition the precise role played by this trace element in the cell metabolism is not fully understood.. Vanadium salts exhibit insulin-like properties, which were demonstrated in tissue and cell culture from type I and type II diabetic animals. Vanadium salts treatment improved carbohydrate and lipid metabolism in diabetic rodents (1). Vanadium compounds are involved inthe activation of key components of the insulin signalling pathway. Pharmacologic amounts of vanadium, i.e. up to 100 times the normal intake in diet have, in humans an effect on cholesterol and triglyceride metabolism and stimulate glucose breakdown and glycogen synthesis in the liver. For higher animals however, vanadium appears to be essential. Thus, the second generation of goat offsprings born from mothers fed a vanadium deficient diet died shortly after birth exhibiting skeletal damage (2).
  • In animal models, vanadium supplementation in conjunction with ascorbate supplementation led to altered cholesterol metabolism as shown by the changes in the activity of hepatic 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA reductase (the rate-limiting enzyme in cholesterol synthesis) and plasma cholesterol concentration (3).
  • Vanadium(IV) complex of 2-methylaminopyridine has been shown to afford a certain degree of radioprotection in gamma-irradiated rats, presumably by virtue of its superoxide dismutase-mimetic activity (4).
  • Vanadium does not appear to be concentrated in any particular organ or tissue.
  • Health benefits: Vanadium salts such as sodium orthovanadate and vanadyl sulfate could, similarly to insulin activate phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways, which led to increased glycogen synthesis in animals (5). Small clinical trials in humans showed that VOSO4 improved hepatic and muscle insulin sensitivity in type 2 (insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus (6).
  • Vanadate was also found to act as an inhibitor of ptotein-phosphotyrosine phosphatase (7).
  • Best food sources: mushrooms, black pepper, dill, shellfish.


References
1. Mehdi, M.Z. et al. (2006) Cell Biochem.Biophys. 44(1) 73-81. Insulin signal mimicry as a mechanism for the insulin-like
    effects of vanadium.
2. Harland, B.F. et al. (1994) J.Am.Diet.Assoc. 94(8) 1-4. Is vanadium of human nutritional importance yet?
3. Seaborn, C.D. et al. (1991-1992) Magnes. Trace Elem. 10(5-6) 327-338. Vanadium and ascorbate effects on 3-
    hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA reductase, cholesterol and tissue minerals in guinea pigs fed low chromium diets.
4. Abou-Seif, M.A. et al. (2003) Clin.Chem.Lab.Med. 41(7) 926-933. Prevention of biochemical changes in gamma-irradiated
    rats by some metal complexes.
5. Pandey, S.K. et al. (1998) Biochemistry 37(19) 7006-7014. Vanadyl sulfate-stimulated glycogen synthesis is associated with
    activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and is independent of insulin receptor tyrosine phosphorylation.
6. Cusi, K. et al. (2001) J.Clin.Endocrinol.Metab. 86(3) 1410-1417. Vanadyl sulfate improves hepatic and muscle sensitivity in
    type 2 diabetes.
7. Gordon, J.A. (1991) Meth.Enzymol. 201, 477-482. Use of vanadate as protein-phosphotyrosine phosphatase inhibitor.