Stable Isotopes in Human Nutrition: Laboratory Methods and Research Applications

The use of stable isotopes in nutritional studies is now widespread, and the technique is becoming increasingly popular. Practical applications are numerous and include: calcium and iron absorption studies, studies looking at the impacts of diet, physical activity, aging, and medical therapy and supplementation on nutrient metabolism, the measurement of energy cost of pregnancy, studies on the causes of growth faltering in infants, and investigations into childhood and adult obesity. This book is designed as a laboratory handbook of methods used to perform stable isotope studies in humans. It covers basic principles, dosage information, sample preparation procedures, analytical instrumentation, and necessary mathematical methods and provides the fundamentals to enable researchers to evaluate and establish stable isotope methods in their own laboratories.