Objective: To investigate the effects of increasing Cu intakes, above the usual dietary intake, on biomarkers of bone metabolism in healthy young adult females (aged 21-28 y) over a 4 week period.

Design: A double-blind, placebo-controlled randomised repeat crossover Cu supplementation trial.

Setting: The study was conducted at the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University (RVAU), Copenhagen, Denmark.

Subjects: Sixteen healthy young adult females aged 20-28 y were recruited from among students at the RVAU.

Intervention: During the 4 week intervention periods in this randomised, crossover trial (3x4 weeks with a minimum 3 week wash-out period), each subject received, in addition to their usual diet, either 3 or 6 mg elemental Cu/day as CuSO4 or a matching placebo. On the last 3 days of each dietary period 24 h urines were collected. In addition, blood was collected on the last day of each dietary period.

Results: Serum Cu and erythrocyte superoxide dismutase (but not caeruloplasmin protein concentration or activity (putative indices of Cu status)) were significantly increased (P<0.05) after daily Cu supplementation with 3 and 6 mg/day for 4 weeks. Serum osteocalcin (biomarker of bone formation), urinary creatinine (Cr) concentration, urinary pyridinoline (Pyr)/Cr or deoxypyridinoline (Dpyr)/Cr excretion, or daily urinary Pyr or Dpyr excretion (biomarkers of bone resorption) were unaffected by Cu supplementation.

Conclusion: Copper supplementation of the usual diet in healthy young adult females, while apparently improving Cu status, had no effect on biochemical markers of bone formation or bone resorption over 4 week periods.

Sponsorship: Funding from the European Commission.