Abstract
Zinc, copper, and selenium statuses were reported to be linked to the development of chronic diseases, especially coronary heart disease (CHD). Metabolic syndrome, a known CHD risk factor, was found to be highly prevalent in Lebanon. Nevertheless, no data are available on the statuses of plasma zinc, copper, and selenium, especially in terms of their relation to the components of the metabolic syndrome. A sample of 398 men and women aged 18–65 years was drawn from 23 health centers across Lebanon; anthropometric measurements and biochemical analyses of fasting plasma samples were performed. Subjects were found to have normal plasma statuses of copper and selenium but were at elevated risk of zinc deficiency. Plasma selenium levels correlated positively with all the components of the metabolic syndromes, while that of copper correlated only with total, high-density lipoprotein and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Plasma zinc did not correlate with any of the metabolic syndrome components.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Castillo-Durán C, Cassorla F (1999) Trace elements in human growth and development. J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab 12(5):589–601
Uauy R, Olivares M, Gonzalez M (1998) Essentiality of copper in humans. Am J Clin Nutr 67S:952S–959S
Turnlund JR (2006) Copper. In: Shils ME, Shike M, Ross AC, Caballero B, Cousins RJ (eds) Modern nutrition in health and disease. 10th edn. Lippincott William & Wilkins, Baltimore, MD
Sauberlich HE (1999) Laboratory tests for the assessment of nutritional status. 2nd edn. CRC, Boca Raton, FL
Hotz C, Brown KH (2004) International Zinc Nutrition Consultative Group (IZinCG) technical document no. 1. Assessment of the risk of Zinc deficiency in populations and options for its control. Food Nutr Bull 25(Suppl 2):S94–S203
Alissa EM, Bahijri SM, Ferns GA (2003) The controversy surrounding selenium and cardiovascular disease: a review of the evidence. Med Sci Monit 9(1):RA9–RA18
Rayman MP (2002) The argument for increasing selenium intake. Proc Nutr Soc 61:203–215
Da Cunha S, Albanesi Filho F, Senra Antelo D, Miranda de Souza M (2003) Serum sample levels of selenium and copper in healthy volunteers living in Rio de Janeiro city. Sci Total Environ 301:51–54
Maksimovic ZJ, Djujic I (2003) Selenium research in Serbia, Yugoslavia. J Environ Pathol Toxicol Oncol 17:165–171
Kruse-Jarres JD, Rükgauer M (2000) Trace elements in diabetes mellitus. Peculiarities and clinical validity of determinations in blood cells. J Trace Elem Med Biol 14:21–27
Reunanen A, Knekt E, Marniemi J, Maki J, Maatela J, Aromma A (1996) Serum calcium, magnesium, copper and zinc and risk of cardiovascular death. Eur J Clin Nutr 50:431–437
Alissa EM, Bahjri SM, Ahmed WA, Al-ama N, Ferns GA (2006) Trace element status in Saudi patients with established atherosclerosis. J Trace Elem Med Biol 20(2):105–114
Altekin E, Çoker C, Rıza A, Şişman B, Önvural F, Kuralay Ö, Kırımlı (2005) The relationship between trace elements and cardiac markers in acute coronary syndromes. J Trace Elem Med Biol 18:235–242
Abiaka C, Olusi S, Al-Awadhi A (2003) Reference ranges of copper and zinc and the prevalence of their deficiencies in an Arab population aged 15–80 years. Biol Trace Elem Res 91(1):33–43
Salonen JT, Alfthan G, Huttunen JK, Pikkarainen J, Puska P (1982) Association between cardiovascular death and myocardial infarction and serum selenium in a matched-pair longitudinal study. Lancet 2(8291):175–179 Jul 24)
Suadicani P, Hein HO, Gyntelberg F (1992) Serum selenium concentration and risk of ischaemic heart disease in a prospective cohort study of 3000 males. Atherosclerosis 96(1):33–42
Sibai AM, Obeid OA, Batal M, Adra N, Dit El Khoury DT, Hwalla N (2008) Prevalence and correlates of metabolic syndrome in an adult Lebanese population. Prev Control (in press)
Gibson R (2005) Principles of nutritional assessment, 2nd edn. Oxford University Press, Oxford
Mahan LK, Escott-Stump S (2004) Food, nutrition and diet therapy, 11th edn. Saunders, Philadelphia, PA
Romero D, Henríquez Sánchez P, López Blanco F, Rodríguez E, Serra Majem L (2002) Serum copper and zinc concentrations in a representative sample of the Canarian population. J Trace Elem Med Biol 16:75–81
Caroli S, Alimonti A, Delle Femime P, Petrucci F, Senofonte O, Violante N, Menditto A, Morisi G, Menotti A, Falconieri E (1995) Role of Inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry in the assessment of reference values for trace elements in biological matrices. J Anal At Spectrom 7:859–864
Ruckgauer M, Klein J, Kruse-Jarres J-D (1997) Reference values for trace elements copper, manganese, selenium, and zinc in the serum/plasma of children, adolescents, and adults. J Trace Elem Med Biol 11:92–98
Spagnolo A, Morisi G, Marano G, Righetti G, Maietta A, Menotti A (1991) Serum selenium and precursors of cardiovascular risk factors in adolescents. Eur J Epidemiol 7(6):654–657
Safaralizadeh R, Kardar GA, Pourpak Z, Moin M, Zare A, Teimourian S (2005) Serum concentration of selenium in healthy individuals living in Tehran. Nutr J 14:4–32
FAO (2005) Food balance sheet, Lebanon 2005. Available at: www.fao.org. Accessed on November 28, 2007
Perrone L, Gialanella G, Moro R, Feng SL, Boccia E, Palombo G, Carbone MT, Di Toro R (1998) Zinc, copper and iron in obese children and adolescents. Nutr Res 18(2):183–189
Lima SC, Arrais RF, Sales CH (2006) Assessment of copper and lipid profile in obese children and adolescents. Biol Trace Elem Res 114(1–3):19–29
Galhardi CM, Diniz YS, Rodrigues HG et al (2005) Beneficial effects of dietary copper supplementation on serum lipids and antioxidant defenses in rats. Ann Nutr Metab 49(5):283–288
Dhingra S, Bansal MP (2005) Hypercholesterolemia and apolipoprotein B expression: regulation by selenium status. Lipids Health Dis 4:28
Obeid OA, Al-Ghali RM, Khogali M, Hwalla N (2006) Vitamins A and E status in an urban Lebanese population: A case study at Dar Al-Fatwa area, Beirut. Int J Vitam Nutr Res 76:3–8
Wojcicki J, Rozewicka L, Barcew-Wiszniewska B (1991) Effect of selenium and vitamin E on the development of experimental atherosclerosis in rabbits. Atherosclerosis 87:9–16
Mazur A, Nassir F, Gueux E, Moundras C, Bellanger J, Grolier P, Rock E, Rayssiguier Y (1996) Diets deficient in selenium and vitamin E affect plasma lipoprotein and apolipoprotein concentrations in the rat. Br J Nutr 76(6):899–907
Salonen JT, Solonen R, Seppanen K et al (1988) Relationship of serum selenium and antioxidants to plasma lipoproteins, platelets aggregability and prevalent of ischaemic heart disease in Eastern Finnish men. Atherosclerosis 70:155–160
Bukkens SG, de Vos N, Kok FJ et al (1990) Selenium status and cardiovascular disease risk factors in healthy Dutch subjects. J Am Coll Nutr 9:128–135
Jossa F, Trevisan M, Krogh V et al (1991) Serum selenium and coronary heart disease risk factors in southern Italian men. Atherosclerosis 87:129–134
Karita K, Yamanouchi Y, Takano T et al (2008) Associations of blood selenium and serum lipid levels in Japanese premenopausal and postmenopausal women. Menopause 15(1):119–124
Sillanpaa M, Jansson H (1992) Status of cadmium, lead, cobalt and selenium in soils and plants of thirty countries. FAO Soils Bulletin. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Obeid, O., Elfakhani, M., Hlais, S. et al. Plasma Copper, Zinc, and Selenium Levels and Correlates with Metabolic Syndrome Components of Lebanese Adults. Biol Trace Elem Res 123, 58–65 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-008-8112-0
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-008-8112-0