Author
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Klevay, Leslie |
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Submitted to: Journal of the American Medical Association
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 3/2/1998 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: There is no Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for copper; rather an Estimated Safe and Adequate Daily Dietary Intake has been assigned because the Subcommittee of the Food and Nutrition Board decided that data on dietary requirements were insufficient for developing an RDA. This essay controverts this opinion. Careful reading of the first 9 editions of the Recommended Dietary Allowances reveals concern for general health as well as the prevention of deficiency diseases. This concern, with the integration of the Food and Nutrition Board into the Institute of Medicine, makes it likely that general health will receive greater emphasis when the 11th edition is written. Depletion experiments have defined the copper requirement better than the requirements for magnesium, zinc and selenium, all of which have RDAs. In fact, no similar experiments have been published for these elements. Approximately one third of daily diets in the U.S. contain 1 mg of copper or less. Abnormal electrocardiograms, hypercholesterolemia and impaired glucose clearance are likely consequences of these diets. High and low copper foods are identified so diets containing less copper than amounts proved insufficient (0.6 to 1 mg/day) in controlled experiments can be avoided. When an RDA for copper is established, copper no longer will be neglected in advice on food selection, dietary planning, dietary surveys, food and diet analysis, nutrition information, and nutritional research. The public does not benefit from the status quo. Technical Abstract: There is no Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for copper; rather an Estimated Safe and Adequate Daily Dietary Intake has been assigned because the Subcommittee of the Food and Nutrition Board decided that data on dietary requirements were insufficient for developing an RDA. This essay controverts this opinion. Careful reading of the first 9 editions of the Recommended Dietary Allowances reveals concern for general health as well as the prevention of deficiency diseases. This concern, with the integration of the Food and Nutrition Board into the Institute of Medicine, makes it likely that general health will receive greater emphasis when the 11th edition is written. Depletion experiments have defined the copper requirement better than the requirements for magnesium, zinc and selenium, all of which have RDAs. In fact, no similar experiments have been published for these elements. Approximately one third of daily diets in the U.S. contain 1 mg of copper or less. Abnormal electrocardiograms, hypercholesterolemia and impaired glucose clearance are likely consequences of these diets. High and low copper foods are identified so diets containing less copper than amounts proved insufficient (0.6 to 1 mg/day) in controlled experiments can be avoided. When an RDA for copper is established, copper no longer will be neglected in advice on food selection, dietary planning, dietary surveys, food and diet analysis, nutrition information, and nutritional research. The public does not benefit from the status quo. |
