Low hair copper concentration is related to a high risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in adults

Copper, an essential micronutrient, is required for lipid metabolism, mitochondrial function, iron metabolism, and antioxidant defense. Copper deficiency has been linked to alterations in lipid metabolism and various metabolic processes of the liver, including nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD); however, most of these studies relied on copper measurements in the blood or tissues. In this study, we investigated the association between hair copper concentration and NAFLD in Korean adults, independent of metabolic syndrome status. Clinical and laboratory parameters, including factors of metabolic syndrome, were analyzed in 751 Korean adults divided into quintiles, according to hair copper concentration. Lower hair copper concentration was significantly correlated with higher body mass index, waist circumference, blood pressure, and lower levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Subjects with NAFLD showed significantly lower hair copper concentrations, and the risk of NAFLD was significantly higher for the lower hair copper quintile groups even after adjusting for metabolic syndrome-related factors. Overall, this study suggests that lower hair copper concentration could be associated with NAFLD, independent of metabolic syndrome factors.

Serum and Hair Mineral Levels in Children with Failure to Thrive According to the Type of Feeding Difficulties

This study evaluated serum and hair mineral and trace element levels as well as levels of other nutritional factors affecting growth and appetite in young children with non-organic failure to thrive (NOFTT) based on the presence or types of feeding difficulty (FD). Between August 2012 and July 2015, 136 children less than 6 years of age with NOFTT were included. FD was diagnosed based on Wolfson criteria and divided into subtypes according to Chatoor's classification. Clinical data were reviewed, and serum and hair mineral levels were measured. Of all assessed serum and hair minerals, only hair sulfur contents differed significantly between subjects with and without infantile anorexia (39,392 ± 2211 vs. 40,332 ± 2551 μg/g, P = 0.034). There were no differences in serum and hair mineral levels between children with and without sensory food aversion. Hair copper contents were significantly lower in children with FD of reciprocity (12.3 ± 6.0 vs. 22.4 ± 25.1 μg/g, P = 0.049). While hair zinc contents were also lower, the difference was not statistically significant (49.2 ± 26.8 vs. 70.6 ± 41.0 μg/g, P = 0.055). Only hair manganese contents were significantly lower in children with posttraumatic FD (0.12 ± 0.04 vs. 0.26 ± 0.73 μg/g, P = 0.037). In conclusion, there were no differences in most serum and hair mineral levels in children with NOFTT, except for relatively lower hair levels of sulfur, copper and possibly zinc, and manganese in infantile anorexia, reciprocity, and posttraumatic types of FD, respectively.