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Updated: Aug 11, 2026

Atomic Absorbance Spectroscopy to Measure Intracellular Zinc Pools in Mammalian Cells
Published on: May 16, 2019
Element of caution: a case of reversible cytopenias associated with excessive zinc supplementation
Julie A Irving1, Andre Mattman, Gillian Lockitch
1Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children's and Women's Health Centre of British Columbia and the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC.
Abstract:
Zinc is a common supplement and is widely available as a standard component of many over-the-counter products. A number of reports have identified an association between excessive zinc intake and severe cytopenia. We report a case of zinc-induced copper deficiency in a young adult to illustrate this under-recognized cause of anemia and neutropenia.
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