Zinc Interference With Copper Metabolism
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Excerpt
Elsewhere in this issue of The Journal, Prasad et al (p 2166) describe a manifestation of the toxic effects of zinc in humans that has not been generally appreciated. They report the occurrence of copper deficiency (hypocupremia, leukopenia, and anemia) in a patient treated with ten times the recommended dietary allowance for zinc1 during a prolonged interval. In other patients given similar therapy, they found decreased levels of plasma copper and ceruloplasmin. Their observations were consistent with other recent reports.2
It has long been known from studies in animals that high levels of zinc can interfere with metabolism and absorption of copper.3 Zinc will induce the synthesis of metallothein.4 Metallothein may regulate the amounts of zinc and copper absorbed into the body from intestinal epithelial cells in a manner analogous to the regulation of iron absorption by ferritin.5 At physiological levels, zinc bound to metallothein
