Serum iron, copper, zinc, ferritin, and ceruloplasmin after intense heat exposure

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Abstract
Twelve voluntary adult subjects twice took a 30-min sauna bath, at a temperature of 80‡ C with a 30-min rest between each, every 12 h for 1 week. Measurements of serum iron, copper, zinc, ferritin and ceruloplasmin were performed before the experiment, after the first and second 30 min in the sauna and at the end of the week. The first two sauna baths did not significantly change the concentrations of the trace elements measured. After the week the mean serum copper concentration had decreased from 15.0 (SD 1.7) Μmol·l−1 to 13.5 (SD 2.0) Μmol·l−1 (p−1 to 9.8 (SD 1.8) Μmol·l−1 (p−1 to 111.3 (SD 89) Μg·l−1 (p<0.02) whereas the values of ceruloplasmin remained unchanged. Our findings confirm the earlier suggestion that heavy exposure to heat can cause a loss of some trace elements, especially zinc.