What could be the reason for slightly reduced copper levels and highly increased zinc levels in serum?

Hi,

in my last topic, I wrote about how I found out I have a suspiciously low ferritin levels in my serum without knowing the exact cause:
https://immortalhair.forumotion.com/t13281-chronic-non-specific-symptoms-low-ferritin-slightly-elevated-calicum

I've recently read about the importance of Cu/Zn ratio and its impact on Fe metabolism. I immediately visited the lab to find out my status, and the results - unsurprisingly - came out pretty wild.

Cu levels: 10.3 nmol/l (normal reference values are 12.4 - 20.6 mmol/l)
Zn levels: 20.3 mmol/l (normal reference values are 9.1 - 13.7 mmol/l)

ALT (from liver test): 0.78 mkat/l (normal reference values are 0.00 - 0.68 mkat/l)
LDL (from cholesterol test): 3.84 mmol/l (normal reference values are 1.20 - 3.00 mmol/l).

About a month ago I suffered from a pretty severe case of Covid-19 with high fevers and torturous body aches (officially my first time getting in contact with the infection).

Besides that, I am a regular user of vitamin C, B-12, Mg, B3, MSM, iodine and Zn. But I only use one 30mg Zinc tablet per day, 4x a week max, so not enough to trigger a Zinc toxicity.

Do you have any idea why my Cu/Zn ratio is so disordered. What could be the cause? I have not received the results of ceruloplasmin yet but I suspect it will be low as well.

Thank you for your answers.

MC

Ferritin is not really a concern, as it's just storage of iron.

Other values are more telling, such as serum iron, Saturation, TIBC, Transferrin, Ceruloplasmin, zinc, copper, vitamin A (retinol) and Vitamin D.

Wouldn't take any more zinc...

CausticSymmetry wrote:Ferritin is not really a concern, as it's just storage of iron.

Other values are more telling, such as serum iron, Saturation, TIBC, Transferrin, Ceruloplasmin, zinc, copper, vitamin A (retinol) and Vitamin D.

Wouldn't take any more zinc...

Thank you for your reply.

Serum iron was normal the last time I took the test. What I find alarming, though, is the unusual elevation of the serum zinc and the decrease of the serum copper, which might signify potential liver, neurological and other types of damage happening as a result of acumulation of Cu and Fe in tissues, if it is of a more complex origin (rare entities such as Wilson disease, Occipital horn syndrome etc.).

I won't touch the supplements in the next few weeks and will repeat the tests afterwards. I took excessive amounts of vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid - 6-9.000 mg per day) two or three weeks post-Covid, which could possibly contribute to copper depletion as well.

The medical cartel has blamed cholesterol and other good things for bad health outcomes, but the best evidence is that iron accumulation is the real issue in many.

Just with hair loss alone, I estimate about 30% of cases related to iron regulation issues.

Also, in some western countries, in particular, the USA has a lot of non-heme iron added to grain 'foods.'

This increases inflammation.

https://www.amazon.com/Cu-RE-Your-Fatigue-Root-Cause/dp/1662910282/

This book looks pretty promising when it comes to interaction between copper and iron and how the depletion of the copper affects the iron metabolism.

I need to detect the cause of the low copper first (exclude the conditions such as Wilson's disease) and then I may start supplementing with copper, while completely ignoring the use of zinc.

ManusCeles wrote:https://www.amazon.com/Cu-RE-Your-Fatigue-Root-Cause/dp/1662910282/

This book looks pretty promising when it comes to interaction between copper and iron and how the depletion of the copper affects the iron metabolism.

I need to detect the cause of the low copper first (exclude the conditions such as Wilson's disease) and then I may start supplementing with copper, while completely ignoring the use of zinc.

The author of that book has some interesting theories. However, he does have some missing information, but all in all, is more right than a lot of people.

His gaps involve most of the minerals, but he places a lot of emphasis on just a few.

That said, the basic premise is that both iron over load and lack of uptake (iron poor blood or anemia) is from dysregulated copper chaperone (cerulosplasmin and/or caeruloplasmin).

Food based copper sources (as opposed to a supplement is encouraged). He will suggest vitamin C from whole food sources, which contain copper ions, as opposed to ascorbic acid, which he claims inhibits cerulosplasmin and removes copper.

There are some hidden reasons for some of the missing copper, or that copper is "stuck" within the liver, and so a bit of a paradox. Men really have nearly no chance of being iron poor, only that they lack sufficient ceruloplasmin in order to transport copper to allow iron to be metabolized, instead of used as a toxin.

CS, can you expand on how Cu transport can be enhanced?

Ceruloplasmin story is far from simple as there is many triggers to affect it, including methyl mercury, low thyroid, wilson's, etc..

Zaphod wrote:CS, can you expand on how Cu transport can be enhanced?

Ceruloplasmin story is far from simple as there is many triggers to affect it, including methyl mercury, low thyroid, wilson's, etc..

Ceruloplasmin is produced in the liver and its levels can be reduced by copper deficiency, so any issue with the liver and/or disease will lead to decreased production of ceruloplasmin.

Chronic inflammation will reduce ceruloplasmin

Also neoplasms (cancer) can reduce ceruloplasmin levels. Malnutrition: Malnutrition or poor dietary intake can lead to deficiencies in essential minerals and vitamins...

Alcohol and or toxins, medications. estrogen (xenoestrogens), Exposure to heavy metal toxins such as lead, cadmium, and mercury can reduce ceruloplasmin levels in the body.

A study in human subjects exposed to UVB radiation found that ceruloplasmin levels increased in the blood, suggesting that UVB radiation can stimulate the production of ceruloplasmin. This increase in ceruloplasmin levels is thought to be due to the UVB-induced increase in the production of vitamin D which is also necessary for ceruloplasmin production.

Then there's Vitamin A from animals (not plants).