Plasma ferritin, zinc and copper in the general population : metabolic correlates and associations with body composition

This thesis aimed to assess the iron, zinc and copper status of an elderly cohort from Northern Germany and to investigate their relationship with dietary intake and body composition.

Plasma ferritin levels – as proxy for iron status – were determined using immunoturbidimetry in 460 participants (aged 66 ± 12 years). An exploratory dietary pattern was identified, explaining 13% of the variance in plasma ferritin. This pattern was characterized by high consumption of potatoes, meat, fats and beer. Linear associations between body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference with plasma ferritin concentrations were found, but these associations were not significant after adjusting for C-reactive protein, an inflammation marker.

Zinc and copper levels in plasma were measured in 841 participants (aged 61 ± 12 years). An increase in zinc was associated with a linear increase in BMI, waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio. Similarly, an increase in copper was directly associated with BMI and waist circumference. Additionally, subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue and liver fat were assessed via magnetic resonance imaging in 60% of the participants. Zinc showed a direct linear association with visceral adipose tissue and liver fat. Copper was directly associated with subcutaneous adipose tissue.

In conclusion, elevated ferritin concentrations were linked with adherence to a traditional German dietary pattern and unfavorable anthropometric traits, with associations possibly being driven by inflammation. The observed relationships of zinc and copper highlight their potential role in adiposity. Further studies are needed to better understand the implications of ferritin, zinc and copper in the context of obesity amid its increasing global prevalence.

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