Association between Serum Copper and Serum Lipids in Adults

Abstract

Background: As an essential trace element, copper has been considered to play an important role in lipid metabolism. However, the associations of serum copper with lipid concentration and dyslipidemia are still controversial. Methods: We used the 2011–2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to examine the relationship between serum copper and lipid concentration among participants aged 20 years and older. Multivariate linear regression was conducted to estimate the differences in the level of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. Logistic regression was conducted to examine the association between serum copper and the risk of dyslipidemia. Results: A total of 2,678 subjects were eligible for our analyses. The multivariable adjusted average differences (95% CIs) comparing the highest to the lowest copper tertile were 8.42 (1.45–15.38) mg/dL for TC, and 2.96 (0.02–5.90) mg/dL for HDL cholesterol. Compared with the lowest tertile of serum copper, participants had significantly higher risks of High-TC dyslipidemia (OR 1.46; 95% CI 1.02–2.08) in tertile 3 and High-LDL cholesterol dyslipidemia (OR 1.48; 95% CI 1.03–2.14) in tertile 2 after adjusting for covariates. In the stratified analyses, we found that the copper-dyslipidemia association was statistically significant in women and subjects younger than 45 years of age. Conclusion: High serum copper was associated with elevated serum concentrations of TC and HDL cholesterol, and was associated with increased risks of High-TC and High-LDL cholesterol dyslipidemia. However, the real association between serum copper and serum lipids should be verified in larger prospective cohort studies in ­future.

The Association between Zinc and Copper Circulating Levels and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Adults: A Study of Qatar Biobank Data

“…Furthermore, the current study reported an increase in BMI, PR, TC, HDL, and HbA1c with the increase in Cu circulating levels. Similar results were indicated for age, BMI, TC, and HDL in another study [ 45 ]. Cu level was reported to be significantly higher in hypertensive patients [ 50 , 52 ].…”

“…A cohort study found no association between low and high HDL and Cu when adjusted for sex and BMI [ 91 ]. Also, no association was found between low HDL and serum Cu levels after adjustment for multiple variables in another study [ 45 ]. Cu deficiency can cause damage to cardiovascular morphology and physiology due to Cu-dependent enzyme variation, peroxidation as a result of free radical accumulation due to distress to the Cu antioxidant effect, protein glycation due to glucose accumulation and abnormal carbohydrate metabolism, and impaired protein structure and function [ 92 ].…”

“…While others reported no association between Zn and free fatty acids [ 41 ], lipid status [ 42 ], and CVD risk [ 43 , 44 ]. On the other hand, plasma Cu was positively associated with high plasma TC, high density lipoproteins (HDL), and high risk of elevated TC and LDL dyslipidemia [ 45 ]. Additionally, an inverse relationship was observed between Cu/Zn and TC/HDL, LDL/HDL, and non-HDL/HDL ratios, respectively [ 41 ].…”

Associação entre a ingestão inadequada de micronutrientes antioxidantes e concentrações lipídicas de adolescentes no Brasil

“…A associação entre o consumo de cobre e menor TG apesar de não ter sido significativa, Fan, Zhang e Bu (2017) e Wolide, Zawdie, Alemayehu e Tadesse (2017) encontraram resultados semelhantes. Shoji, et al (2016); Song, Wang, Zhang (2018) encontraram relação entre as concentrações de cobre e alterações lipídicas.…”

“…Apesar de não terem sido registrados dados consistentes em relação a esse elemento, sabe-se que o cobre é um elemento essencial e importante componente de enzimas antioxidantes que atuam na proteção contra os radicais livres no organismo e que desequilíbrios no seu metabolismo podem resultar em hipercolesterolemia e aumento do estresse oxidativo (Song, Wang, Zhang, 2018).…”