Denture Cream Lawsuits: Understanding Copper and Zinc in Our Bodies

Buffalo, NYRecent news about denture adhesive zinc poisoning has people talking about zinc and copper levels in their body. Until the news about denture cream zinc poisoning came out, most people probably did not give too much thought to the possibility of zinc toxicity or copper deficiency. However, now that the two conditions have been linked to Fixodent denture cream and Super PoliGrip, people are wondering how zinc and copper affect their bodies.

Zinc is is vital to a person's health and is found in many foods and nutritional supplements. Zinc aids in a number of cellular activities, including cell division, protein synthesis and wound healing. It is also vital for the immune system to work and for a proper sense of taste and smell. Because the body has no means to store zinc, it is vital to take it in every day.

According to the National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements, the average male over the age of 19 years should take in 11 mgs of zinc a day, while the average female of the same age should take in 8 mgs per day.

However, exposure to excessive zinc—which has been linked to overuse of denture adhesives—can cause health problems including low copper levels and reduced immune function. Even moderately high zinc intakes, listed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as being 60 mg per day for up to 10 weeks, can result in depletion of copper. The NIH lists the upper tolerable intake levels of zinc for both men and women to be 40 mg per day. Severe zinc poisoning can result in neuropathy, a condition affecting the nerves.

Copper is vital because it helps with the formation of red blood cells and keeps blood vessels, nerves, immune systems and bones healthy. A lack of copper can result in anemia and osteoporosis.

High, or even moderately high, levels of zinc intake result in the body producing a copper-binding protein. This protein prevents the copper from being absorbed by the body, leading to a situation where the person develops copper deficiency.

Consumers who overused certain denture adhesives that contain zinc may have been exposed to excess zinc, which could have led to copper deficiency. They may have experienced unusual weakness in their arms or legs, numbness and tingling (paresthesias), extreme fatigue, anemia and neuropathy.

According to a study publishing in August, 2008, in the journal Neurology, patients to used two tubes of denture adhesive a week had zinc levels of 1.36 to 4.28 micrograms per mL, whereas the normal maximum is 1.10 micrograms per mL. Meanwhile, they had copper levels ranging from less than 0.1 to 0.23, whereas the normal range is from 0.75 to 1.45.

Researchers determined that the denture cream users in the study were exposed to a minimum of 330 mg of zinc daily—well above the recommended levels of 8 mg to 11mg.

Both GlaxoSmithKline and Proctor & Gamble face lawsuits alleging that they did not properly warn denture cream adhesive users about the risks associated with overuse of the product. The companies have said that their products are safe when used in the recommended amounts.