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European Journal of Nutrition

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25-11-2023 | Biomarkers | Original Contribution

Discerning animal-sourced food in diet using isotope analysis of human scalp hair and fingernails

Authors: Gunjan Agrawal, Prasanta Sanyal

Published in: European Journal of Nutrition | Issue 2/2024

Abstract

Purpose

Diet-related diseases are advancing as the leading cause of death globally. As self-reporting of diet by patients can be associated with errors, stable isotopes of human tissues can be used to diagnose diseases, understand physiology, and detect change in diet. This study investigates the effect of type and amount of food on the nitrogen and carbon concentration (N_conc and C_conc) and isotopic composition (δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C) in human scalp hair and fingernails.

Methods

A total of 100 residents participated in the study whereas only 74 individuals provided complete diet history. Sixty-six food items majorly available to them were also collected. The N_conc, C_conc, δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C values of human hair, nails and food items were determined.

Results

The N_conc, C_conc, δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C values between plant-sourced and animal-sourced food items, as well as human hair and nail tissue were significantly different (p < 0.05). The δ¹⁵N value of human tissues was distinct between lacto-vegetarians and omnivores by 0.9‰. The δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C values of human tissues increased by 0.4–0.5‰ with every 5% increase in the consumption of animal protein.

Conclusions

The study helps to demarcate lacto-vegetarians from omnivores, and estimate the percentage of animal protein in diet based on the dual isotope values of human tissues. It also acts as a reference to determine isotopic composition of hair tissue provided the isotope value of nail tissue is known and vice versa.

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Title: Discerning animal-sourced food in diet using isotope analysis of human scalp hair and fingernails
Authors: Gunjan Agrawal
Prasanta Sanyal
Publication date: 25-11-2023
Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Keyword: Biomarkers
Published in: European Journal of Nutrition / Issue 2/2024
Print ISSN: 1436-6207
Electronic ISSN: 1436-6215
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-023-03273-y

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