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Evaluation copper promotes our fat burning significantly
We all know copper as a malleable and conductive metal, which is often used for cookware and electronic parts, for example. But even human bodies need copper. Apparently, copper is much more important to our diet than previously thought. A new study found that copper is very important for human physiology. Researchers found that copper plays a key role in the metabolism of fat.
In the last decade, the importance of copper for certain biological functions has become increasingly interesting. For example, copper is needed to form red blood cells. It also absorbs iron, aids in the development of connective tissue and supports our immune system. Scientists from the Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and UC Berkeley researchers have now found in an investigation that copper is also very important for burning fat. The physicians published the results of the study in the journal "Nature Chemical Biology".
Copper can help burn fat. Image: Nomad_Soul - fotolila Copper helps to turn fat into energy
Copper is essential for the breakdown of fat cells. These can then be harnessed by the copper for energy, explains Professor Chris Chang of Berkeley Lab's Chemical Sciences Division. Fat acts as a kind of regulator. The more copper in the body, the more fat is broken down. So it would be worthwhile to investigate whether a lack of this nutrient leads to overweight and obesity, say the authors. These factors are known to be associated with some serious illnesses, adds Professor Chang.
Western diets usually contain too little food with copper
Copper probably plays a role in burning fat. The nutrient is abundant in foods such as oysters, clams, leafy vegetables, mushrooms, seeds, nuts and beans, explains Professor Chang. The average dietary requirement for copper in an adult is about 700 micrograms per day. Copper is not produced by our body, so we have to absorb it through our food. However, the typical diet of most people does not contain much green leafy vegetables, says Professor Chang. For example, most Asians feed on more foods that contain a lot of copper than we Europeans. However, it should be noted that too much copper along with other essential minerals can lead to imbalances, warn the authors.
Trial on mice with Wilson's disease brings interesting findings about copper
The scientists detected the copper-fat compound in a mouse experiment. These suffered from a genetic mutation that causes an accumulation of copper in the liver. These animals had larger fat deposits compared to normal mice. The disease is known as Wilson's disease or Wilson's disease. The disease can be deadly if left untreated, explain the doctors. Analysis of the mice with Wilson's disease showed that the abnormal accumulation of copper was accompanied by a lower lipid level in the liver, say the authors.
Researchers also found that white adipose tissue or white fat in mice with Wilson's disease had lower levels of copper. Compared to healthy control mice, there were correspondingly higher fat deposits, add the experts. The test mice were then treated with isoproterenol, a beta-agonist known to induce so-called lipolysis - the breakdown of fat into fatty acids. The mice with Wilson's disease showed significantly less fat-degrading activity, compared to the normal healthy test mice, the authors explain.
Scientists use plasma mass spectrometry to measure copper content in fat
The results prompted the researchers to analyze the cell cultures to better understand the mechanism by which copper affects so-called lipolysis. Berkeley Lab researchers used inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) to measure the copper content in adipose tissue. The scientists found that copper binds to phosphodiesterase 3 or PDE3. This then facilitates the reduction of fat, explain the doctors.
Evidence of the effects of copper was already present in animal husbandry
The connection between copper and lipid metabolism was not entirely surprising. The researchers report that there was already some evidence of this relationship before. But these were in the field of animal husbandry. In the case of cattle, it has previously been found that the level of copper in feed affects how fat the meat was, explained Professor Chang. There have already been records of the impact on fat deposition in animals in the agricultural literature. However, it was not clear why these biochemical mechanisms were linked to copper and fat, say the authors.
Particularly high copper concentration detected in the human brain
The concentration of copper in the human body is particularly high in our brain, explain the experts. The new study also found that copper helps brain cells communicate with one another. Copper acts as a kind of brake when it comes time to stop neutral signals. The focus of Professor Chang's research team initially focused on the role of copper in neuronal communication. The work of the scientists then expanded to areas of lipid metabolism and other biological pathways for the study of metals, say the scientists. (As)