Micronutrient status assessment in humans: Current methods of analysis and future trends

Micronutrients are essential to health at every life stage and their deficiencies are associated with increased incidence of various pathophysiological states and poor quality of life. Efficient methods are therefore needed to monitor micronutrient status of individuals and to improve evidenced-based recommendations for populations. This review (i) reports current approaches to assess the vitamin and mineral status in humans, (ii) summarizes current analytical advantages and shortcomings and (iii) provides practical information for both nutrition research and nutritional status diagnostics. Future analytical perspectives are discussed in relation to micronutrient profiling, analytical sensitivity, and miniaturized technologies.