Associations of serum metals and metalloids with noninvasive hepatic steatosis indices: a seasonal repeated-measures metabolome-wide study.

Serum manganese, selenium, and other metals are linked to hepatic steatosis indices, with seasonal variation influencing these associations in a cohort of 172 adults.

• Why it matters: Understanding how metals and metalloids contribute to liver fat accumulation is crucial for accurate risk assessment and targeted interventions, yet previous studies relied on single measurements.
• What they did: The study analyzed 541 serum samples across four seasons using ICP-MS and HR LC-MS, applying advanced statistical models to explore associations between 18 metals, 1,285 metabolites, and hepatic steatosis indices.
• The result: Findings reveal specific metals like Mn and Se are associated with hepatic steatosis, with metabolites GABA and DL-glutamic acid identified as potential metabolic links, emphasizing the importance of seasonal context in risk evaluation.