Effect of dietary calcium and phosphorus levels on the utilization of iron, copper, and zinc by adult males.

Iron, copper, and zinc utilization were examined in nine adult males fed a moderate calcium-moderate phosphorus diet (MCaMP), a moderate calcium-high phosphorus diet (MCaHP), and a high calcium-high phosphorus diet (HCaHP) during a 39-day balance study. The moderate and high calcium diets contained 780 mg and 2382 mg calcium daily, respectively. The moderate and high phosphorus diets contained 843 and 2442 mg phosphorus daily, respectively. The calcium supplements were fed as calcium gluconate, while the phosphorus supplements were fed as glycerol phosphate. Subjects lost more iron and copper in their feces and apparently retained less iron and copper when fed the HCaHP diet than when fed the other two diets, but these effects were not statistically significant. Urinary iron and copper excretion were significantly affected by the dietary treatments. Dietary treatments had no effect on subjects' fecal and urinary losses of zinc nor on their apparent retention of zinc. Plasma iron, zinc, copper, and transferrin levels and serum ferritin levels were not affected by the dietary treatments.