Metals, toxins and medication
Tin
Tin in blood shows whether you have recently taken in an unusually large amount of tin; in people without exposure, the value says little.
Everything about this testWhat it measures
The analysis measures how much tin is in your blood. Tin is a soft metal found in bronze, solder and amalgam dental fillings and used to line food cans. There are also organic tin compounds, which are used in some plastics, pesticides and paints. Metallic tin is poorly absorbed in the gut.
- A recent, unusually high exposure to tin or tin compounds, for example at work
High
A raised value may fit a recent, unusually high exposure to tin, for example at work. According to the ATSDR, the test does not show when or exactly how much tin someone has taken in. Swallowing large amounts of inorganic tin compounds can cause abdominal pain, anemia and liver and kidney problems; some organic tin compounds can affect the nervous system.
Low
A low or unmeasurable value is normal. The body does not need tin, so there is no such thing as a deficiency.
If your result is abnormal
With a raised result, the GP looks for the source, together with the occupational physician if needed, and has the measurement repeated if needed.
Reliability
Tin in blood is mainly informative when a recent, unusually high exposure is suspected; in people without known exposure, a single value says little. Everyone has a small amount of tin in the body from food. According to the ATSDR, the test can help determine whether someone has recently taken in an unusually large amount of tin, but not when or how much. The test does not distinguish between metallic tin and organic tin compounds, although they act very differently.
Limitations
- Contamination during the blood draw can raise the result.
- The test measures total tin and does not distinguish between metallic tin, which is not very harmful, and organic tin compounds.
- There are no agreed cutoff values; the limit between normal and raised comes from the laboratory itself.
How common is this
According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre (Voedingscentrum), tin is found in cans, but a coating on the inside prevents the tin from getting into the food. According to the ATSDR, more than 90 percent of tin-lined food cans are treated with such a protective layer. There are no Dutch figures on tin poisoning.
Who is this useful for
Useful with known or suspected high exposure to tin or tin compounds at work, usually in consultation with the occupational physician. In people without symptoms and without known exposure, the measurement adds nothing.
Downsides and risks
- A slightly raised value without symptoms easily leads to worry and to unnecessary follow-up testing.
Sources
Always discuss an abnormal result with your GP. If a result is strongly abnormal, we try to reach you as soon as possible. Read your result yourself as well and contact your GP if in doubt. A test does not make a diagnosis. Read more about risks and results