Cardiovascular Disease from Copper Deficiency—A History

Abstract

Although the nutritional essentiality of copper was established in 1928, a preoccupation with hematology delayed the discovery of cardiovascular disease from copper deficiency for more than a decade. Anatomical studies of several species of deficient animals revealed, interalia, aortic fissures and rupture, arterial foam cells and smooth muscle migration, cardiac enlargement and rupture, coronary artery thrombosis and myocardial infarction. Abnormal biochemistry in deficiency probably contributes to these lesions, e.g., decreased activities of lysyl oxidase and superoxide dismutase which result in failure of collagen and elastin crosslinking and impaired defense against free radicals. Copper deficiency also decreases copper in hearts and other organs and cells and increases cholesterol in plasma. Abnormal physiology from deficiency includes abnormal electrocardiograms, glucose intolerance and hypertension. People with ischemic heart disease have decreased cardiac and leucocyte copper and decreased activities of some copper-dependent enzymes. Copper depletion experiments with men and women have revealed abnormalities of lipid metabolism, blood pressure control, and electrocardiograms plus impaired glucose tolerance. The Western diet often is as low in copper as that proved insufficient for these people. Knowledge of nutritional history can be useful in addressing contemporary nutritional problems.

Phase I Study of Copper-Binding Agent ATN-224 in Patients with Advanced Solid Tumors

“…This is important because cardiomyopathy and cardiac failure have been observed in animals fed a copperdeficient diet (22,23) and copper deficiency has suggested to be linked to ischemic heart disease in humans (24).…”

Copper Binding by Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB)

“…It can participate in Fenton-like reactions that can generate extremely reactive hydroxyl radicals that can induce cellular damage (7). New publications note that the Western diet is frequently low in copper and, thus, closely associated with heart disease risk (21). Also, the roles of copper in the immune system, atherosclerosis, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and Parkinson's disease have not been well defined (3,9,11,12).…”

Role of heavy metals in human health and particularly in respect to diabetic patients

“…(Lin et al, 2006;Quilliot, 2001). The Cu deficiency is one of the reasons for the progress of cardiovascular diseases (Klevay, 2000) and Cu is also beneficial to prevent arthritis linked inflammation and epilepsy (Chwiej et al, 2008). The disturbances in Cu levels in various biofluids and tissues are linked with defects implicated in metabolic pathways of diabetes and its problems (Eaton and Qian.…”