Alherosclerosis, 70 (1988) 241-252 Elsevier Scientific Publishers Ireland, Ltd. 247 ATH 04110 The effect of zinc supplements on lipoproteins and copper status Samir Samman * and David C.K. Roberts Human Nutrition Unit, Department of Biochemutty, University of Sydney, NS W 2006 (Australia) (Received 14 September, 1987) (Revised, received 6 November, 1987) (Accepted 6 November, 1987) zyxwvutsrqponmlkjihgfedcbaZYXWVUTSRQPON Summary As part of a study to determine the effect of 150 mg zinc/day on plasma lipoproteins, healthy young female (n = 26; mean age 27 years) and male (n = 21; mean age 28 years) volunteers took part in a double-blind cross-over trial lasting 12 weeks. During 6 weeks of supplementation, plasma Zn rose significantly in both groups, indicating compliance. Plasma total cholesterol remained unchanged in both males and females. However, mean LDL-cholesterol decreased from 2.38 to 2.17 mmol/l in females and there was a trend for total HDL-cholesterol to be redistributed in that HDL, rose and HDL, fell slightly. In parallel with these changes in females, Zn supplements reduced the ferroxidase activity of serum caeruloplasmin (from 13.0 to 11.3 U/ml) and the antioxidant activity of erythrocyte superoxide dismutase (E-SOD) (from 4557 to 3638 U/g Hb) and CuZn E-SOD (from 2184 to 1672 U/g Hb). Plasma Cu and haematocrit were unaffected. No such changes were seen in males in either lipoproteins or these indicators of Cu status. Since the females were lighter than the males but received the same dose, a dose-response effect rather than a sex difference cannot be ruled out. Overall, Zn supplements significantly decrease a major risk factor for CHD in females but reduced their Cu status. Key words: Cholesterol; Copper; Lipoproteins; Zinc Introduction Despite the therapeutic use of zinc since the 1960s its effects on plasma cholesterol were not * Present address: Health Sciences Centre, Department of Biochemistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada N6A Xl. Correspondence to: Dr. D.C.K. Roberts, Human Nutrition Unit, Department of Biochemistry, University of Sydney, Syd- ney NSW 2006, Australia. reported until 1980. Hooper et al. [l], found a 25% decrease in plasma high density lipoprotein- cholesterol (HDL-C) in male volunteers consum- ing 160 mg Zn/day, in the form of ZnSO,. This would result in worsening the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) as epidemiological studies have shown HDL-C to be negatively correlated with the risk of developing CHD. In females, the effect of oral Zn supplements was not seen on plasma cholesterol although the highest supple- ment was 100 mg Zn/day (as zinc acetate), a dose 0021-9150/88/$03.50 0 1988 Elsevier Scientific Publishers Ireland, Ltd.