Consequences of copper deficiency are not differentially influenced by carbohydrate source in young pigs fed a dired skim milk-based diet

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Abstract
Carbohydrates (CHO) such as fructose (FR) or sucrose, but not starch (ST), aggravate the consequences of dietary copper (Cu) deficiency in rats. To evaluate whether this Cu×CHO interaction is pertinent to human health, the pig was used as an animal model. In two studies, 66 weanling pigs were fed dried skim milk (DSM)-based diets for 10 wk with 20% of the total calories provided as either FR, glucose, or ST and containing either deficient (1.0–1.3 μg/g diet) or adequate (7.1 μg/g) levels of Cu. Plasma and tissue levels of Cu, the activities of plasma ceruloplasmin ferroxidase and erythrocyte Cu, Zn-superoxide dismutase, and hematocrits were lower (pp<0.05) than that of animals fed Cu-adequate diets. These effects were in general unaffected by type of CHO. For comparison, weaned male rats were also fed DSM-based containing diets ST or FR with adequate or deficient Cu for as long as 10 wk. Rats consuming the Cu-deficient diets were characterized by significantly lower hematocrits, decreased tissue Cu levels, and enlarged hearts, regardless of the CHO source. Together, these data demonstrate that DSM-based diets are not suitable for delineation of potential Cu×CHO interactions, and one or more components of DSM may exacerbate the consequences of dietary Cu deficiency.