Hostname: page-component-7c8c6479df-xxrs7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-03-29T14:55:16.549Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Effect of copper supplementation on indices of copper status and certain CVD risk markers in young healthy women

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 March 2007

Susanne Bügel*
Affiliation:
Department of Human Nutrition and Centre for Advanced Food Studies, Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Rolighedsvej 30, DK-1958, Frederiksberg C, Denmark
Angela Harper
Affiliation:
Department of Human Nutrition and Centre for Advanced Food Studies, Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Rolighedsvej 30, DK-1958, Frederiksberg C, Denmark
Edmond Rock
Affiliation:
INRA, Clermont, Ferrand, France
Jacqueline M. O'Connor
Affiliation:
Northern Ireland Centre for Food & Health (NICHE), University of Ulster, Cromore Road, Coleraine BT52 1SA, Northern Ireland, UK
Maxine P. Bonham
Affiliation:
Northern Ireland Centre for Food & Health (NICHE), University of Ulster, Cromore Road, Coleraine BT52 1SA, Northern Ireland, UK
J. J. Strain
Affiliation:
Northern Ireland Centre for Food & Health (NICHE), University of Ulster, Cromore Road, Coleraine BT52 1SA, Northern Ireland, UK
*
*Corresponding author: Dr Susanne Bügel, fax +45 35 28 24 83, email shb@kvl.dk
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Western diets containing suboptimal Cu concentrations could be widespread. A link between marginal Cu deficiency and CVD has been suggested. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of Cu supplementation on both Cu status and CVD risk factors in healthy young women. Sixteen women with a mean age of 24 (sd 2) years participated in a randomised crossover study of three 4-week periods with 3-week washouts between periods. During each intervention period, subjects received 0, 3 or 6 mg elemental Cu/d as CuSO4 in addition to their habitual diet. Blood samples were taken to assess the effect of supplementation on putative markers of Cu status. The content of plasma lipids, lipoprotein (a), apo and certain haemostatic factors, as putative indices of CVD, was also analysed. Daily supplementation with 3 mg Cu significantly increased (P<0·05) serum Cu concentration and the activity of erythrocyte superoxide dismutase, although there was no further significant increase after an intake of 6 mg Cu/d. The concentration of the fibrinolytic factor plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 was significantly reduced (P<0·05) by about 30% after supplementation with 6 mg Cu/d. No other marker of Cu status or CVD risk factor was affected by Cu supplementation. The results indicate that supplementation with 3 or 6 mg Cu/d may improve Cu status in these healthy young women. Increased Cu intake could reduce the risk of CVD and atherosclerosis in man by promoting improved fibrinolytic capacity.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 2005

References

Allen, KGD & Klevay, LM (1978) Cholesterolemia and cardiovascular abnormalities in rats caused by Cu deficiency. Atherosclerosis 29, 8193.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Aznar, J & Estelle, A (1994) Role of plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 in the pathogenesis of coronary heart diseases. Haemostasis 24, 243251.Google Scholar
Baker, A, Turley, E, Bonham, MO, O'Connor, JM, Strain, JJ, Flynn, A & Cashman, KD (1999) No effect of copper supplementation on biochemical markers of bone metabolism in healthy adults. Br J Nutr 82, 283290.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bro, S, Sandström, B & Heydorn, K (1990) Intake of essential and toxic trace elements in a random sample of Danish men as determined by the duplicate portion sampling technique. J Trace Elem Electrolytes Health Dis 4, 147155.Google Scholar
Clauss, A (1957) Rapid physiological coagulation method for the determination of fibrinogen [German]. Acta Haematol 17, 237246.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Danks, DM (1988) Copper deficiency in humans. Annu Rev Nutr 8, 235257.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Food and Nutrition Board (2001) Copper. In Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Arsenic, Boron, Chromium, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel, Silicon, Vanadium, and Zinc, pp. 224257Washington, DC: National Academy Press.Google Scholar
Harvey, LJ, Majsak-Newman, G, Dainty, JR, Lewis, DJ, Langford, NJ, Crews, HM & Fairweather-Tait, SJ (2003) Adaptive responses in men fed low- and high-copper diets. Br J Nutr 90, 161168.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Johnson, PE, Milne, DB & Lykken, GI (1992) Effects of age and sex on copper absorption, biological half- life, and status in humans. Am J Clin Nutr 56, 917925.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Johnson, PE, Stuart, MA, Hunt, JR, Mullen, L & Starks, TL (1988) Copper absorption by women fed intrinsically and extrinsically labeled goose meat, goose liver, peanut butter and sunflower butter. J Nutr 118, 15221528.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Jones, AA, DiSilvestro, RA, Coleman, M & Wagner, TL (1997) Copper supplementation of adult men: effects on blood copper enzyme activities and indicators of cardiovascular disease risk. Metab Clin Exp 46, 13801383.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Jones, DG & Suttle, NF (1981) Some effects of Cu deficiency on leucocyte function in cattle and sheep. Res Vet Sci 31, 151156.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kehoe, CA, Turley, E, Bonham, MP, et al. (2000) Response of putative indices of copper status to copper supplementation in human subjects. Br J Nutr 84, 151156.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Klevay, LM (1975) Coronary heart disease: the zinc/Cu hypothesis. Am J Clin Nutr 28, 764774.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Klevay, LM (1998) Lack of a recommended dietary allowance for copper may be hazardous to your health. J Am Coll Nutr 17, 322326.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Klevay, LM, Buchet, JP, Bunker, VW, et al. (1993) Copper in the Western diet. In Trace Elements in Man and Animals, pp. 207210 [Anke, M, Meissner, D and Mills, CF, editors]. Gersdorf, Germany: Verlag Media Touristik.Google Scholar
Klevay, LM, Inman, L, Johnson, LK, Lawler, M, Mahalko, JR, Milne, DB, Lukaski, HC, Bolonchuk, W & Sandstead, HH (1984) Increased cholesterol in plasma in a young man during experimental copper depletion. Metabolism 33, 11121118.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lau, BW & Klevay, LM (1981) Plasma lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase in copper deficient rats. J Nutr 111, 16981703.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lynch, SM & Klevay, LM (1993) Effect of a dietary copper deficiency on plasma fibrinolytic activity in male and female mice. Nutr Res 13, 913922.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Medeiros, DM, Liao, Z & Hamlin, RL (1991 a) Copper deficiency in a genetically hypersensitive cardiomyopathic rat: 3 lectrocardiogram, functional and ultrastructural aspects. J Nutr 121, 10261034.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Medeiros, DM, Milton, A, Brunette, E & Stacy, L (1991 b) Copper supplementation effects on indicators of copper status and serum-cholesterol in adult males. Biol Trace Elem Res. 30, 1935.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Milne, DB (1998) Copper intake and assessment of copper status. Am J Clin Nutr 67, Suppl, 1041S1045S.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Milne, DB, Johnson, PE, Klevay, LM & Sandstead, HH (1990) Effect of copper intake on balance, absorption, and status indices of copper in men. Nutr Res 10, 975986.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Milne, DB, Klevay, LM & Hunt, JR (1988) Effects of ascorbic acid supplements and a diet marginal in copper on indices of copper nutriture in women. Nutr Res 8, 865873.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Milne, DB & Nielsen, FH (1996) Effects of a diet low in copper on copper-status indicators in postmenopausal women. Am J Clin Nutr 63, 358364.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
National Research Council (1989) Recommended Dietary Allowances, 10th ed. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.Google Scholar
Nielsen, FH, Milne, DB, Mullen, LM & Gallagher, SK (1990) Dietary sulfur amino acids and genetic make-up or interindividual variation affect the response of men to Cu depletion. J Trace Elem Exp Med 3, 281296.Google Scholar
Pang, Y, MacIntosh, DL & Ryan, PB (2001) A longitudinal investigation of aggregate oral intake of copper. J Nutr 131, 21712176.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rayssiguier, Y, Gueux, E, Bussiere, L & Mazur, A (1993) Copper deficiency increases the susceptibility of lipoproteins and tissues to peroxidation in rats. J Nutr 123, 13431348.Google ScholarPubMed
Reiser, S, Powell, A, Yang, C-Y & Canary, JJ (1987) Effect of copper intake on blood cholesterol and its lipoprotein distribution in men. Nutr Rep Int 36, 641649.Google Scholar
Reiser, S, Smith, JC Jr, Mertz, W, Holbrook, JT, Schofield, DJ, Powell, AS, Canfield, WK & Canary, JJ (1985) Indices of copper status in humans consuming a typical American diet containing either fructose or starch. Am J Clin Nutr 42, 242251.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rock, E, Mazur, A, O'Connor, JM, Bonham, MP, Rayssiguier, Y & Strain, JJ (2000) The effect of copper supplementation on red blood cell oxidizability and plasma antioxidants in middle-aged healthy volunteers. Free Radic Biol Med 28, 324329.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Salmenpera, L, Siimes, MA, Nanto, V & Perheentupa, J (1989) Copper supplementation: failure to increase plasma copper and ceruloplasmin concentrations in healthy infants. Am J Clin Nutr 50, 843847.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Strain, JJ (1994) Newer aspects of micronutrients in chronic disease: copper. Proc Nutr Soc 53, 583598.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Turnlund, JR, Jacob, RA, Keen, CL, Strain, JJ, Kelley, DS, Domek, JM, Keyes, WR, Ensunsa, JL, Lykkesfeldt, J & Coulter, J (2004) Long-term high copper intake: effects on indexes of copper status, antioxidant status, and immune function in young men. Am J Clin Nutr 79, 10371044.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Turnlund, JR, Keen, CL & Smith, RG (1990) Copper status and urinary and salivary copper in young men at three levels of dietary copper. Am J Clin Nutr 51, 658664.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Viestenz, KE & Klevay, LM (1982) A randomized trial of copper therapy in rats with electrocardiographic abnormalities due to copper deficiency. Am J Clin Nutr 35, 258266.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Walker, FJ & Fay, PJ (1990) Characterization of an interaction between protein C and ceruloplasmin. J Biol Chem 265, 18341836.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed