X-Message-Number: 27455
Date: Sun, 1 Jan 2006 16:14:32 -0800 (PST)
From: Doug Skrecky <>
Subject: Life Extension with Zinc/Copper

                Life Extension With Zinc/Copper
                       By Doug Skrecky

   Few over-the-counter supplements have been proven to reduce human
 mortality rates. As a consequence many would-be life-extensionists have
 adopted a shot-gun approach, where numerous supplements are taken, for
 which there exists little or no proof of efficacy. The hope is that at
 least one or two of these supplements may indeed exert a benefit, while
 the rest at least do no harm. In hopes of improving the current poor
 signal-to-noise ratio, I'd like to call attention to a study which places
 a zinc/copper supplement combination in the former category. While this
 combination appears to reduce mortality, many other supplements are
 either ineffective, or even detrimental.
   In the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) 4753 healthy persons aged
 55 to 81 years were followed for a median of 6.5 years. Of these 534
 (11%) died. Some subjects recieved a zinc/copper supplement, some
 recieved an antioxidant supplement instead, while yet others recieved
 both types of supplement. The zinc/copper supplement consisted of 80 mg
 zinc as zinc oxide, and 2 mg of copper as cupric oxide. The antioxidant
 supplement consisted of 500 mg vitamin C, 400 IU vitamin E, and 15 mg
 beta carotene. All-cause mortality was increased by 15% by the
 antioxidant supplement, decreased 28% by zinc/copper, and decreased by
 14% by their combination. Thus antioxidants appeared to exert a harmful
 effect on survival, while zinc/copper offered a more powerful beneficial
 effect. Cause specific effects of zinc/copper on mortality included a 23%
 reduction on circulatory system related causes of death, 22% reduction on
 cancer, and a 46% reduction on all other causes of death. Thus this
 supplement offered an across-the-board benefit. However due to the small
 number of deaths (534), the authors caution that this putative mortality
 benefit of zinc/copper requires further study. (Arch Ophthalmol 2004;
 122: 716-726)
   A dosage of 20 mg zinc has been demonstrated to improve thymic status
 in aged humans, but at a price of a small reduction in serum copper. (Am
 J Clin Nutr 1993; 57:566-72) Zinc supplements without additional copper
 may depress the activity of copper dependant superoxide dismutase in
 humans. (Free Radical Biology and Medicine 1993;14:95-97) No benefit on
 mortality was noted for elderly patients given 20 mg zinc and 0.1 mg
 selenium. (Arch Intern Med 1999;159: 748-754) Note that low levels of
 serum copper and zinc are both associated with increased mortality. (Am
 J. of Epidemiology 1988 128(2):352-359)
   Zinc supplementation has rejuvenated the immune system of old mice, and
 caused regrowth of their thymus glands. (Int. J. Immunopharmac 1995
 17(9):703-718) Treatment of old 18 month old Balb/c mice with either zinc
 or melatonin increased their remaining lifespan. The 50% survival was 22
 months for controls, 29 months for melatonin treated, and 30.5 months for
 zinc treated. Maximum survival was 30 months for controls, 32 months for
 melatonin treated, and 33 months for zinc treated. (J. of Neuroimmunology
 1998; 86:111-122) Melatonin improves zinc absorption, and this effect may
 underlay its life-extension effect. (Biological Trace Element Research
 2003 96:237-245)
   However note that a complex supplement comprising vitamin C, vitamin E,
 rutin, selenium and zinc offered no benefit when given to 23 month old
 C57BL/6 mice. (Mechanisms of Ageing and Development 1996; 92:227-234)
 Intriguingly zinc given to klotho mutant mice fed a low phosphate diet
 suppressed their early mortality. (J. Nutr 2001;131:3182-3188)


 Journal of Neuroimmunology 1998;86:111-122
 Presence of links between zinc and melatonin during the circadian cycle
 in old mice: effects on thymic endocrine activity and on the survival.

 Abstract:
   Links between zinc and melatonin in old melatonin treated mice with a
 reconstitution of thymic functions have been recently documented.
 Concomitant increments of the nocturnal peaks of zinc and melatonin, with
 a synchroization of their circadian patterns, are achieved in old mice
 after melatonin treatment, A recovery of the nocturnal peaks of thymulin
 plasma levels and of the number of thymulin-secreting cells with a
 synchronization of their circadian patterns are also achieved. The
 existence of significant positive correlations between melatonin and zinc
 and between melatonin and thymulin or the number of thymulin-secreting
 cells supports the presence of links between zinc and melatonin also
 during the circadian cycle with a beneficial effect on thymic functions.
 The altered circadian pattern of corticosteron in old mice is normalized
 by melatonin. The existance of inverse correlations between corticosteron
 and melatonin, between corticosteron and zinc, and between corticosteron
 and thymulin or the number of thymulin-secreting cells during the whole
 circadian cycle, suggests the involvement of glucocorticoids pathway in
 the melatonin thymic reconstitution, via zinc. The presence of an
 interplay among zinc, melatonin, glucorticoids and thymulin may be,
 therefore, supported during the circadian cycle. "In vitro" experiments
 from old thymic explants show a direct action of zinc, rather than
 melatonin, on thymulin production, further suggesting that the action of
 melatonin on the thymic efficiency is mediated by the zinc
 bioavailablity. The beneficial effect of the links between zinc melatonin
 on thymic functions during the circadian cycle, may be extended to a
 prolonged survival in aging, where, however zinc may be more involved.

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