Download Cardiovascular Disorders and Trace Minerals

April, 2013
Volume 22, No 1
Cardiovascular Disorders and Trace Minerals
Clinical Finding on
Trace Minerals and
Cardiovascular
Disorders
There are a variety of cardiovascular disor-
cardiomyopathy is the most common form.
ders, and there are many causes, including a
As cardiomyopathy worsens, the myocar-
genetic predisposition. Nutrition, including
dium becomes weaker, which decreases its
minerals and trace minerals, play an impor-
ability to pump blood throughout the body
tant role in the mainenance of cardiovascular
and maintain a normal electrical rhythm.
health. Trace minerals can be a factor in
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most
There are two trace minerals that are
cardiovascular disorders, and in particular,
common form of heart disease, and it is
often overlooked when it comes to their
for cardiomyopathy and coronary artery
the leading cause of death in the USA for
importance in cardiovascular health: copper
disease.
both men and women. CAD occurs due to
and zinc. The role of copper in maintain-
a buildup of choles-
ing a healthy heart has been looked at
terol and other matter
repeatedly in animal studies. According
(called plaque) on the
to a study by Elsherif L, et al; [Exp Biol
walls of the arteries
Med; 2004;229(7):616-622], dietary copper
that supply blood to
restriction leads to cardiac hypertrophy and
the heart muscle. This
resulting congestive heart failure.
Figure 1. The diagram shows a healthy heart (left) and one suffering from right ventricular
hypertrophy (right).
causes the arteries to
Copper repletion reverses the
become hardened and
hypertrophy and prevents subsequent heart
narrowed (atheroscle-
failure. This study looked at changes in
rosis). If the plaque is
myocardial gene expression in those with
allowed to grow, less
copper deficiency induced cardiomyopathy
blood will be able to
and the effect of its reversal through
flow through them to
copper repletion. Copper deficiency was
the heart, leading to
shown to change gene expression of
the heart not getting
elements involved in contractility, Ca+2
oxygen from the blood
cycling, inflammation, and fibrosis. These
Cardiomyopathy refers to diseases of
that it needs to perform. This can lead to the
changes in gene expression may be behind
the myocardium (heart muscle), in which
potential for a myocardial infarction (heart
the altered cardiac function in the copper
the heart muscle becomes enlarged, thick,
attack). CAD can lead to the weakening of
deficient. Normal cardiac function came
or rigid. Cardiomyopathies have a variety
the heart muscle, and result in heart failure
about through copper repletion, and
of causes and symptoms. The four main
and arrhythmias. Dilated cardiomyopathy
demonstrated a favorable regression in
types of Cardiomyopathy are: Dilated car-
can be the result of CAD.
gene expression of these components
diomyopathy, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy,
critical to myocardial tissue. Relling DP, et
restrictive cardiomyopathy, and arrhyth-
al; [Obesity; 2007;15(50):1242-1257] also
mogenic right ventricle dysplasia. Dilated
determined that copper deficiency impaired
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and experimental studies have reported
an association between zinc deficiency and
the etiopathogenesis of cardiovascular and
renal disease, hypertension, atherosclerosis, congestive heart failure, coronary
artery disease, and diabetes. The main link
between the development of these pathologies and zinc deficiency are multiple mechanisms involving oxidative stress damage,
apoptosis, and inflammation. A later study
by Frustaci A, et al. [Eur J Heart Fail; 2012;
14(2):202-210] examined 18 patients who
had intestinal bypass for severe obesity
and cardiomyopathy. They went through
endomyocardial biopsy, showing signs of
Figure 2. Dilated cardiomyopathy, resulting from aberrant cardiomyocyte growth, is found in copper deficiency.
hypertophy and degeneration of cardiomyocytes (indicative of cardiomyopathy), and all
cardiomyocyte contractile function and
Zinc plays many metabolic roles. Abnor-
were found to be low in antioxidant capacity
Ca+2 homeostasis. Cardiomyocytes are
mal metabolism of zinc has been related
due to severe myocardial selenium and zinc
the contractile cells of the heart muscle.
to certain disorders, especially diabetic
deficiency. After normalizing the selenium
Copper plays key roles in the maintenance
complications. Oxidative stress has been
and zinc, there was recovery of the con-
of the effective contractility of the heart
considered a major causative factor in dia-
tactile ability of the cardiomyocytes. The
muscle.
betic cardiomyopathy. In the article by
decreased myocardial antioxidant reserve
High levels of homocysteine are seen
Song Y, et al. [Biometals;18(4):325-332],
is often observed in this type of cardiomy-
in dilated cardiomyopathy. Homocyste-
the researchers review preliminary evi-
opathy, and is due to selenium and zinc
ine chelates copper and impairs copper
dence, based on their own studies, as well
deficiency. This is commonly seen with
dependent enzymes. Hughes WM, et al [Car-
as others, concerning the possible mecha-
zinc deficiency on its own.
diovasc Toxicol; 2008; 8(3):137-144] found
nisms by which zinc supplementation could
that treating pressure overload dilated car-
prevent diabetic heart disease.
There is no question that zinc and copper
are very important trace minerals and they
diomyopathy due to high homocysteine
Pilz S, et al [Br J Nutr; 209; 101(10):1534-
play critical roles in promoting cardiovas-
levels with copper supplementation helped
1540] examined whether low zinc con-
cular health. As seen in the clinical trials,
improve cardiac function. Saari JT, et al
centrations were associated with total
various mechanisms through which these
[J Nutr Biochem; 2007; 18(7):443-448]
cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular
trace minerals may help fight against or
studied possible cytoprotective actions for
mortality. In reviewing zinc levels in 3316
prevent cardiovascular health issues have
copper in cardiomyopathy, showing that the
patients, they found that zinc concentra-
been proposed. It seems that the major
copper deficient had altered nitric oxide
tions correlated negatively with age and
role that zinc plays in fighting against car-
metabolism, and the elevated NO produc-
markers of inflammation and positively
diomyopathy is related to its antioxidant
tion seen in the copper deficient lead to
with antioxidant activity. The study results
impact. A clinical study by Wang J, et al.;
inflammatory actions that contributed to
indicated that zinc deficiency may contrib-
[Circulation 2006, Jan 21; 113(4):544-554]
impaired cardiac function. Chronic low-
ute to reduced life expectancy with people
zeroed in on this possibility. The study’s
grade inflammation has been seen to be
suffering from cardiovascular problems
findings are particularly true for diabetic
a causative factor in metabolic syndrome
scheduled for coronary angiography. A
cardiomyopathy, which have been shown to
that involves hypertension, diabetes and
review article by Tomat AL, et al. [Nutrition;
have a poor metabolic handling of zinc. The
cardiovascular complications.
2011; 27(4):392-398], states that human
researchers concluded that the prevention
www. AlbionMinerals.com
of diabetic cardiomyopathy by zinc supple-
Y, et al.; [Cardiovascular Res; 2009 October
copper and zinc, the form of supplement
mentation is predominantly mediated by an
1; 84(1):54-63] looked into the influence of
chosen must be of good bioavailability to
increase in cardiac metallothionein. Zinc is
copper and the performance of cardiomyo-
assure optimal body levels are main-
a major mineral that binds to metallothio-
cytes. The study indicated that copper could
tained. The studies listed below have
nein under physiological conditions and is
induce regression of cardiomyocyte hyper-
shown that Albion’s Copper Bisglycinate
a potent inducer of metallothionein. Most
trophy, a major factor in cardiomyopathies,
Chelate and Zinc Bisglycinate Chelate are
recently, a study published in Cardiovascular
via enhanced VEGFR-1 signaling (vascular
highly bioavailable. These are just a few
Diabetology, by Xiao Miao, et al.; (2013; pp12-
endothelial growth factor receptor-1) and
of the studies on these two mineral forms
54) concluded that zinc supplementation
the PKG-1 (a protein kinase) pathway. This
that demonstrate their bioavailability.
provides a significant protection against
has been demonstrated to be associated
diabetes-induced pathogenic changes in the
with cardiomyocyte growth inhibition and
aorta of type 1 diabetic mice. This aortic
regression of cardiomyocyte hypertrophy.
protection by zinc against diabetes-induced
Additional research has pointed to the pos-
pathogenic changes is associated with the
sible role for copper and zinc that involves
up-regulation of both metallothionein and
superoxide enzymes’ antioxidant activity
nuclear factor (erythroid derived-2)-like-2
protecting the cardiomyocytes.
(nrf2) expression. Nrf2 is a pivotal regulator
of antioxidant mechanisms.
Summation
Copper, as mentioned earlier, can play
important roles in cardiovascular health via
Copper and zinc are both important
its influence on cardiomyocyte contractility,
trace minerals. They have been shown
as well as in the fighting against oxidative
to play pivotal roles in the maintenance
damage that can lead to low grade inflam-
of cardiovascular health. The mainte-
matory related problems, which are linked
nance of optimal levels of both of these
to metabolic syndrome. A study by Zhou
minerals is the key. When supplementing
Copper Supplementation Effects on
Erythrocyte Superoxide Dismutase
Activities in Middle Aged men and
Woman
RA DiSilvestro, et al.
FASEB J: 21:698.8.
Copper Supplementation of Adult
Men: Effects on Blood Copper Enzyme
Activities and Indicators of Cardiovascular Disease Risk
AA Jones, et al.
Metabolism; 1997 Dec; Vol 46, No 12:pp
1380-1383.
A Bioavailability Study Comparing Two
Oral Formulations Containing Zinc (Zn
Bis-Glycinate vs. Zn Gluconate) After
a Single Administration to Twelve
Healthy Female Volunteers
P Gandia, et al.
Int J Vitamin Nutr Res; 2007; 77(4): 243248.
Zinc for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Placebo-Controlled
Double-Blind Pilot Trial Alone and
Combined with Amphetamine
L E Arnold, et al.
J Child and Adoles Psychopharm; 2011;
Vol 21 No : pp 1-20.
If you are looking for the best forms of
copper and zinc to put into your supplements, Albion’s Copper and Zinc Bisglycinates should be of prime consideration.
Albion Research Notes
is a publication of
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