Zinc supplementation does not alter sensitive biomarkers of copper status in healthy boys.

What Was Tested

The paper reports a study of Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc and Copper (Supplement), published as a randomized controlled trial.

The primary objective of this study was to examine the effect of zinc supplementation on copper status in children.

Why It Was Studied

The tolerable upper intake levels (UL) for zinc for children were based on limited data and there is concern that the UL may be set too low.

Food records were completed near the baseline and 4-mo visits.

Who Took Part

PubMed indexes the participants as children, men only.

Biochemical measures were evaluated at baseline and after 2 and 4 mo of supplementation.

How the Study Was Run

The design is described as randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled.

Because people in this Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc study were split into groups at random, differences between the groups are less likely to reflect who happened to join each one.

Neither the participants nor the staff measuring them knew who was on Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc, so expectations could not easily colour the readings.

Some participants received a placebo instead of Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc, giving a reference point.

What Was Measured

The tolerable upper intake levels (UL) for zinc for children were based on limited data and there is concern that the UL may be set too low.

The subject headings attached to it are Anthropometry, Biomarkers, Ceruloplasmin, Copper, Creatinine, Diet and Diet Records.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study of Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc and Copper (Supplement).

The publication is from 2013 (The Journal of nutrition), a journal based in United States.

More context: the Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc compound page and the Copper (Supplement) compound page, all human trials.