A Balanced Ratio ofTwo Key Minerals
• Supports the immune system
• Avoids harmful excesses of zinc
• Improves cholesterol balance
• Antioxidant
Two Key Minerals
Zinc and copper are two essential minerals that are both commonlydeficient in Western diets. Zinc is required for a number of aspects ofmetabolism, including helping with the function of many enzymes andsupporting the immune system. Copper is also required by manyimportant enzymes including ones that are involved in energymetabolism and antioxidant functions. Low levels of copper are thoughtto be linked to higher levels of cholesterol.
The Danger of Losing the Balance
Zinc and copper are both essential to health, but it is also essential forthem to be balanced. Many supplements focus too much on zinc, whichcan create a copper deficiency by interfering with its absorption andmetabolism. An excess of zinc can reduce levels of copper-basedenzymes, including antioxidants, increase cholesterol levels and have anegative impact on skeletal health. Ironically, unbalanced zinc can evencause problems in the immune system.
The Right Ratio
AOR’s Zinc-Copper Balance is formulated to have the scientificallyappropriate ratio of these essential minerals. This provides the healthbenefits of both nutrients while avoiding the pitfalls of unbalancedsupplementation.
Zinc and copper are essential minerals critical to health. An ongoing study tracking the nutritionalintake of Americans found that 75% of older American adults were found to be failing to reach theRDA for zinc, and none of them achieved even the minimum recommended intake for copper. Yetwhile the importance of zinc is widely recognized, copper's crucial role in our health has often beendiscounted. An overemphasis on zinc has resulted in widespread, unbalanced zinc supplementation,which has serious implications for your long-term health.Zinc and copper are so similar in their atomic structure that they can actually compete with oneanother, not only for absorption, but also for utilization in the body's biochemical pathways. Whenyour intake of zinc is too high relative to your copper intake, the excess zinc actually interferes withthe activity of enzymes which depend on copper for their biological function. When copper is notproperly incorporated into these enzymes, they can't fulfill their biochemical duties.Both animal and human evidence suggests that, for optimal utilization of both minerals, the balancebetween zinc and copper should be about ten-to-one. But it's common for supplements containingthese nutrients to include too much zinc, and little or no copper, with the result that many - perhapsmost - zinc supplements and multivitamin and multimineral formulas contain potentially harmful zincimbalances.This isn't just a theoretical concern. In a series of human studies, putting volunteers on a diet andsupplement regimen in which the ratio between zinc and copper was 23.5-to-one (and sometimeslower) - common zinc-to-copper ratios, found in many multivitamins on health food store shelves -resulted in wide-ranging metabolic disturbances, including reduced levels of the copper-basedantioxidants enzymes, increased total and LDL ("bad") cholesterol, anemia, reductions in the body'slevels of enkephalins (natural pain-killing molecules), and cardiac dysfunction (including rhythmdisturbances and even heart attacks!).At the extreme, out-of control zinc supplementation impairs immune function, despite the fact thatan adequate intake of zinc is necessary for normal immune function. One reason for this may becopper's important role in immune function: one of the classic signs of ‘simple’ copper deficiency isdepressed levels of white blood cells.Over the long term, it seems that other problems linked to long-term, subclinical ‘simple’ copperdeficiency - such as impaired bone metabolism, poor glucose metabolism, arthritis, neurologicaldysfunction, and increased levels of Advanced Glycation Endproducts (AGE) - would also manifestfrom a functional copper deficiency created by excessive zinc intake. The problem, of course, is notzinc supplements - but excessive or unbalanced zinc supplementation.
Excessive Zinc and Prostate Health
Many men take zinc supplements to support the health of their prostate, because the prostate hasthe highest levels of this mineral of any organ of the body, and most studies have found that lowlevels of zinc in the prostate are associated with benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) and prostatecancer. But one large new study found that extreme zinc oversupplementation is associated with amore than doubled risk of developing prostate cancer, especially if continued for more than 10years.This doesn't mean that men concerned about prostate health should stop making sure that their zincintake is adequate: there was no association of zinc supplement use and prostate cancer in men withmore reasonable intakes of the mineral. But it does mean that the targets that we should aim for arethe kinds of intakes typical of a healthy diet.
AOR™ guarantees that no ingredients not listed on the label have been added to the product. Contains no wheat, gluten, corn, nuts, dairy, soy, eggs, fish, shellfish or any animal byproduct.
Suggested Use
Take one capsule daily with food, or as directed by a qualified health professional. Take a few hours before or after taking other medications.
Main Applications
As reported by literature:
• Deficiencies.
• Immune function.
• Antioxidant.
Source
Mineral.
Pregnancy / Nursing
Safe.
Cautions
None known.