Association of Zinc and Copper Status with Cardiovascular Diseases and their Assessment Methods: A Review Study

Area of Science:

• Nutritional Biochemistry
• Cardiovascular Medicine
• Mineral Metabolism

Background:

• Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a global health crisis, causing significant mortality and economic burden.
• Essential minerals zinc and copper play vital roles in human health, with their status linked to various CVD types.
• Existing research on the association between zinc/copper status and CVD presents conflicting findings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the correlation between human zinc and copper status and CVD risk factors.
• To survey the methods used for assessing zinc and copper status.
• To synthesize current knowledge on mineral status and cardiovascular health.

Main Methods:

• Narrative review of existing scientific literature.
• Analysis of studies investigating zinc and copper levels in relation to CVD.
• Evaluation of direct and indirect methods for mineral status assessment.

Main Results:

• Zinc and copper deficiency are associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease, valvular regurgitation, myocardial lesions, and cardiac hypertrophy.
• Deficiencies may lead to cardiac mitochondrial expansion, heart failure, and elevated inflammation markers (IL-1, IL-6).
• Direct and indirect methods, along with serum/plasma levels, are used for assessment, but their accuracy for CVD correlation needs clarification.

Conclusions:

• Zinc and copper status are significantly implicated in cardiovascular health.
• Further research is essential to determine the most accurate methods for assessing zinc and copper status in the context of CVD.
• Understanding these mineral-CVD links can inform preventative strategies and treatments.