Effect of oral contraceptive use and zinc supplementation on zinc, iron and copper biochemical indices in young women

Oral contraceptives (OC) generally increase serum copper and iron and decrease serum zinc. In OC users, zinc supplementation could benefit the balance among these minerals. Our aim was to evaluate the effect of OC use on several zinc, iron and copper biochemical indices, and on their response to zinc supplementation. Serum and urinary zinc, erythrocyte zinc and metallothionein, plasma alkaline phosphatase, serum iron, total iron-binding capacity...