Albion Study Suggests Copper, Zinc Fight Alcoholism

Albion Study Suggests Copper, Zinc Fight Alcoholism

ST. CLAIR SHORES, Mich.Intake of copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn)chelates lowered intake of ethanol alcohol in ethanol dependent rats, accordingto results of a preliminary study from Albion Advanced Nutrition(www.albion-an.com).

After inducing ethanol dependency in two groups 10 rats each, the animalswere either gavaged with 100 mcg/d Zn and 45 mcg/d Cu, or not treated with Znand Cu (control group), for 21 days. All animals in both groups had free accessto water and to a 5-percent ethanol/95-percent water mixture throughout thestudy period. Outcomes included voluntary consumption of ethanol/water and ofwater, weight changes, and tissue assays including pathological andhistopathological examinations and Cu and Zn analysis. While both groups ofanimals exhibited initial behavior suggesting ethanol dependency, which wassubsequently confirmed by pathological examinations of their tissues, the groupreceiving Cu and Zn voluntarily began restricting its ethanol/water intake andincreasing its water consumption compared to non-supplemented control animals.It was concluded that oral supplement of copper and zinc amino acid chelatesappeared to reduce the physical dependency for ethanol.

The study appeared in The Journal of Applied Research (6, 1:19-27,2006).