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Associations of Serum Zinc, Copper, and Zinc/Copper Ratio with Sleep Duration in Adults

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Abstract

The existing evidence on the relationships of serum zinc, copper, and zinc/copper ratio with sleep duration is limited and conflicting. The present cross-sectional study aimed to investigate these associations in general adults by utilizing data from the 2011–2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The concentrations of zinc and copper were measured in serum samples. Sleep duration (self-reported usual sleep duration) was categorized as < 7 h/night (short sleep duration), 7–8 h/night (optimal sleep duration), and > 8 h/night (long sleep duration). Multinomial logistic regression models and restricted cubic splines were constructed to examine the associations of serum zinc, copper, and zinc/copper ratio with sleep duration. A total of 5067 adults were included. After multivariate adjustment, compared with the optimal sleep duration group, the odds ratios (ORs) (95% confidence intervals, CIs) in the long sleep duration group for the highest versus lowest quartile of serum zinc concentration and zinc/copper ratio were 0.61 (0.39–0.96) and 0.58 (0.38–0.89), respectively. Furthermore, among males, the OR (95% CI) of long sleep duration for the highest versus lowest quartile of serum copper concentration was 2.23 (1.15–4.32). Finally, the dose–response trends suggested that participants with optimal sleep duration had the highest serum zinc concentration and zinc/copper ratio and a slightly lower serum copper concentration. No significant association was found between serum zinc, copper concentrations and the zinc/copper ratio and short sleep duration. In conclusion, serum zinc and zinc/copper ratio were inversely related to long sleep duration in adults, while serum copper was positively associated with long sleep duration in males.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Prof. Dongfeng Zhang for his help in data analysis.

Funding

This work was supported by the grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81200872).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Qingdao University, Ningde Road 16, Qingdao, 266071, Shandong, China

    Yi-Na Jia, Lei Chen & Yan Xue

  2. Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China

    Jing Sun

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  1. Yi-Na Jia
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  2. Jing Sun
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Contributions

Y.J. was responsible for acquisition of data, data analysis and drafting the article.

J.S. was responsible for acquisition of data and data analysis.

L.C. was responsible for revising the article critically.

Y.X. was responsible for financial support and final approval of the version to be submitted.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yan Xue.

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The Research Ethics Review Board of the National Center for Health Statistics authorized the survey protocol, and all participants provided informed consent.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Jia, YN., Sun, J., Chen, L. et al. Associations of Serum Zinc, Copper, and Zinc/Copper Ratio with Sleep Duration in Adults. Biol Trace Elem Res 200, 2651–2659 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-021-02897-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-021-02897-7

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