Since the wheels and tires are "unsprung weight", they cannot, per se, have an effect on suspension parts unless your Element spends lots of time on a hoist with the wheels and tires hanging in the air. That said, more aggressive driving due to having more aggressive tires can indeed, affect suspension wear. ;-)
I wouldn't consider the additional weight much of a factor in making a tire switch decision. Most of what will reasonably fit an Element isn't going to put much strain on the suspension, provided you maintain a wheel offset that's close to factory specs.