Interactions of essential and/or toxic metals and metalloid regarding interindividual differences in susceptibility to various toxicants and chronic diseases in man.

The review is a synthesis of the most recent evidence for the important role of the interactions of essential and/or toxic metals and metalloids regarding human health and diseases. Information is presented on the mechanisms of interaction between various metals and/or metalloids (including the influence of pH, exposure duration, and other exposure variables such as life-style factors in main), possible differences in the susceptibility to adverse health effects between man and other mammals, and the role of metals and metalloids in oxidative stress-mediated diseases, antioxidant defence system, adaptive response and genetic repair processes. With regard to generally large interindividual differences in the susceptibility to various toxicants in humans, further epidemiological research in the quantitative contribution of between lead, cadmium, copper, zinc and selenium, based on biological monitoring, is recommended. Interaction of these elements may explain individual susceptibility to various chronic diseases, even those showing transgenerational characteristics (such as significantly lowered sperm count and fertilizing capacity of men over the last five decades, known to have occurred in the general population world-wide).