Journal of the American College of Nutrition, Vol 11, Issue 1 74-78, Copyright © 1992 by American College of Nutrition

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Relation of serum zinc and copper to lipids and lipoproteins: the Yi People Study

J. A. He, G. S. Tell, Y. C. Tang, P. S. Mo and G. Q. He
Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People's Republic of China.

The relations of serum zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) to serum total cholesterol (TC), low-density-lipoprotein and high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C and HDL-C) and triglycerides were investigated in a population-based sample of 399 men in Southern China. Serum Cu was inversely related to HDL-C (r = -0.21), while Zn/Cu ratio showed a positive association (r = 0.19). These relationships remained significant after adjusting for age, body mass index (kg/m2), physical activity, tobacco smoking and dietary cholesterol, fat, and fiber. While no significant association was observed between serum Cu and serum TC in univariate analysis, a significant negative association was observed in multivariate analysis, after adjustment for the above mentioned independent variables. No significant association between serum Cu and LDL-C was found. These observations, as well as those reported in other studies reviewed herein, suggest that Cu is implicated in the metabolism of HDL-C, although the mechanism involved is not fully understood. No significant associations were found between serum Zn and the lipid variables.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. Hughes and S. Samman The effect of zinc supplementation in humans on plasma lipids, antioxidant status and thrombogenesis. J. Am. Coll. Nutr., August 1, 2006; 25(4): 285 - 291. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]