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EFFECT OF COPPER IN THE FOOD CHAIN ON HUMAN HEALTH

Objective



Oxidant damage has been implicated in the pathology of a number of human diseases including cardiovascular disease and cancer and important biological defence systems have evolved to limit such damage. These antioxidant defences are inter alia dependent on dietary antioxidants. There is now substantial evidence that an optimum level of Cu is required to maintain antioxidant defence systems within the body and that Cu deficiency in animals increase oxidant stress. Although severe or clinically-defined Cu deficiency in humans is not a public health problem, there is concern by some that a disparity may exist between putative Cu requirements and mean apparent intakes in Western populations resulting in widespread mild, sub-clinical Cu deficiencies. Dietary Cu requirements are uncertain but must published recommended dietary intakes vary around 1-2mg/d. The majority of dietary intakes in Western populations are around or below these values.

The information provided by the research should give a better understanding of the precise requirements for dietary Cu and elucidate the balanced interactions which occur within the whole diet with respect to Cu.

The technical and scientific objectives of this research are :

- to provide data on the significance of increased dietary Cu (provided by Cu
supplements) as a pro-oxidant or antioxidant in vivo in both free-living men
and women;
- to provide data on how formulated low, medium and high Cu diets fed to
male and female volunteers in metabolic units can affect risk factors for
cardiovascular disease, fructose/copper interactions and biomarkers of bone
turnover;
- to provide data on Cu bioavailability in humans using an oral challenge of
65Cu stable isotope;
- to provide in vitro data on the molecular mechanisms of Cu absorption and
metabolism in the intestinal cell and on the effects of the interactions of Cu
with other components of the diet.

Call for proposal

Data not available

Coordinator

University of Ulster
EU contribution
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Address
Cromore Road
BT52 1SA Coleraine
United Kingdom

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Total cost
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Participants (7)