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ARS Home » Plains Area » Grand Forks, North Dakota » Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center » Healthy Body Weight Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #126154

Title: ADVANCES IN CARDIOVASCULAR-COPPER RESEARCH

Author
item Klevay, Leslie

Submitted to: Proceedings of the International Association 0f Bioinorganic Scientists
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/15/2001
Publication Date: 1/1/2002
Citation: Klevay, L.M. 2002. Advances in cardiovascular-copper research. Proceedings of the First International Bio-Minerals Symposium: Trace Elements in Nutrition, Health and Disease. p.64-71.

Interpretive Summary: Copper frequently is low in the Western diet so closely associated with heart disease risk. Some of these diets are in the intake range used in successful depletion experiments of men and women and are low in comparison to suggested, desirable intakes. Assessment of nutritional status for copper is difficult. More than a dozen research articles reveal low organ copper and low activities of enzymes dependent on copper in people with cardiovascular disease. The nearly 80 identified anatomical, chemical and physiological similarities between animals deficient in copper and people with ischemic heart disease support the concept that these low concentrations of copper and low enzyme activities are indicative of poor copper status. Some links between the copper deficiency theory on the etiology and pathophysiology of ischemic heart and other general explanations for this illness have been found.

Technical Abstract: Copper frequently is low in the Western diet so closely associated with heart disease risk. Some of these diets are in the intake range used in successful depletion experiments of men and women and are low in comparison to suggested, desirable intakes. Assessment of nutritional status for copper is difficult. More than a dozen research articles reveal low organ copper and low activities of enzymes dependent on copper in people with cardiovascular disease. The nearly 80 identified anatomical, chemical and physiological similarities between animals deficient in copper and people with ischemic heart disease support the concept that these low concentrations of copper and low enzyme activities are indicative of poor copper status. Some links between the copper deficiency theory on the etiology and pathophysiology of ischemic heart and other general explanations for this illness have been found.