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Iron, Copper and Zinc Metabolism of Rats Fed Various Levels and Types of Tea¹

Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706

The effects of tea and components in tea on mineral metabolism were investigated in a series of studies. In studies A and B weanling rats were fed diets containing various levels (0, 0.35, 1.17 or 3.50%) of a commercially prepared instant tea and diets containing 0 or 1.17% catechin. In study C anemic rats were fed diets containing 0 or 2.31% desiccated green or black tea infusions for 23 d. In study D rats were fed a diet containing 2.31% desiccated black tea infusions for 16 d, were fed the tea-containing diet in a single meal labeled with ⁵⁹Fe or were given black tea infusions as their sole fluids. Rats fed diets containing 2.31% green or black tea or given fluid tea had elevated hematocrits but experienced minimal changes in tissue iron levels or in iron absorption; this is counter to conclusions from studies in which iron absorption was monitored indirectly. Ingestion of instant or black tea consistently elevated liver copper levels; this may be part of the mechanism by which hematological variables were affected. Although the green tea contained significant amounts of aluminum, rats fed the tea did not accumulate aluminum in their bones.

KEY WORDS: • polyphenols • copper • iron • aluminum • zinc • catechin • anemia

¹ This work was supported by the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison Project No. 2623 and U.S. Department of Agriculture Competitive Grant No. 84-CRCR-1-1496.

Manuscript received 29 July 1987. Revision accepted 28 September 1987.