title: Serum zinc and copper levels in healthy Japanese children.
abstract: Serum zinc and copper concentrations of 156 healthy children (6-12 years old) were measured by the atomic absorption spectrophotometric method. The average serum zinc concentration was 92 +/- 13 mug/100 ml (mean +/- S.D.) with a range of 62-127 mug/100 ml. No statistically significant age or sex differences were found in serum zinc levels. The mean serum copper level was 109 +/- 17 mug/100 ml with a range of 70-164 mug/100 ml. Average serum copper concentration in younger age groups (6-9 years old) was higher than that in older age groups (10-12 years old). The highest value of mean serum copper level was observed in the group of 8-year-old children. No sex differences in serum copper levels were found in all the age groups.
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D003300:Copper / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D003300:Copper; D015032:Zinc