title: Changes in copper and zinc plasma concentrations during the normal menstrual cycle in women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether there is a fluctuation of the copper and zinc plasma levels during the menstrual cycle and if this correlates to the physiological fluctuations of estradiol and progesterone plasma concentrations in eumenorrhoic women.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 14 eumenorrhoic women. Copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), estradiol (E2) and progesterone (Prg) plasma concentrations, during time of menstruation (time 1), midfollicular phase (time 2), time of ovulation (time 3) and midluteal phase (time 4) were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We observed significant changes in both copper plasma concentrations and zinc plasma concentrations during the four times studied (p < 0.05). The changes of Cu during the various phases correlated negatively with the changes in E2 (r > 0.5, p < 0.05), whereas the changes of Zn correlated positively with those of E2 (r > 0.8, p < 0.05). We were unable to demonstrate any statistically significant correlation between Cu and Prg or Zn and Prg.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study indicates that there is a cyclic fluctuation of Cu and Zn concentrations in plasma during the menstrual cycle, in healthy eumenorrhoic women. This cyclic fluctuation might be due to the cyclic fluctuation of plasma levels of E2.
authors.affiliation: Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Solna 17176, Sweden. constantinos.michos@karolinska.se
authors.forename: Constantinos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Michos
authors.forename: Vasiliki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kalfakakou
authors.forename: Spyridon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karkabounas
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kiortsis
authors.forename: Aggelos
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Evangelou
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003300:Copper / Q000097:blood*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000097:blood*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood; D055815:Young Adult; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; D003300:Copper; D015032:Zinc