LACK OF ASSOCIATION BETWEEN COPPER, ZINC, SELENIUM AND BLOOD-PRESSUREAMONG HEALTHY-CHILDREN

Contradictory results have been published about the relation between c opper, zinc and selenium and blood pressure (BP). To evaluate the role of these trace elements in BP regulation, we analysed the correlation s between BP and copper, zinc and selenium, measured from serum, diet and hair among 3596 healthy children in a 6-year follow up. Fasting bl ood samples were used in serum copper, zinc and selenium analyses. The dietary intake of trace elements and energy were determined by the 48 -h recall method. The hair copper and zinc analyses were performed fro m the naturally coloured hair samples. Correlation analysis was used t o show the relation between BP and copper, zinc or selenium in each st udy year and during a 3- or 6-year follow-up period. The zinc-to-coppe r ratio in serum, diet and hair was calculated. In the correlation ana lyses the data was adjusted for weight and the daily intake of energy. Neither serum and diet copper or zinc, nor the zinc-to-copper ratio c orrelated uniformly with BP measured in the same year (correlation coe fficients varying from -0.12 to 0.18) or in the subsequent years. Hair copper and zinc correlated weakly negatively with BP (correlation coe fficients varying from -0.17 to -0.01). Serum selenium correlated weak ly positively with systolic and diastolic BP measured in the same year (correlation coefficients varying from 0.03 to 0.14), but not with su bsequent BP measured in the second or third survey. Dietary selenium h ad an inconsistent effect on BP (correlation coefficients varying from -0.14 to 0.26). In conclusion, copper, zinc, their ratio or selenium did not associate with BP, nor did they have any effect on subsequent BP.