The ying/yang of zinc and copper

I'm not sure it affects the absorption...I think it more has to do with the action.

So, as far as I understand, it doesn't keep you from getting it in to your body, but somewhere along the line, it affects how it works in the body.

Here's the quote from the study:
In the current studies, high-dose vitamin E supplementation had no effect on vitamin K absorption as measured by fasting plasma phylloquinone concentrations. Thus, any inhibitory effect of vitamin E supplementation on γ-carboxylation of vitamin K–dependent proteins likely occurred within the tissue at the site of the reaction.

http://www.ajcn.org/content/80/1/143.full

Basically, they gave some people a lot of vitamin E.  Enough to change the amount they saw in the blood.  They measured vitamin K in the blood as well, and it did not go down after supplementation...indicating that vitamin E doesn't affect how vitamin K absorbs (in the intestine).  BUT, they noticed that a lot of vitamin E got in the way of how vitamin K works after it is already in the body.  So, it's one of those cases of a person probably getting enough vitamin K, but for whatever reason it's just not being utilized or able to do its job.

I hope that makes more sense!

In any case, no, I really don't see any reason for separating vitamin E from Vitamin K. 

For vitamin A...I searched for awhile and couldn't find the mechanism of HOW it interferes, I just keep reading that megadoses dose affect absorption.  I'm not sure how.  I do know that too much vitamin A causes bone mineralization problems, which is something that vitamin K plays a role in, so perhaps that's where it comes from, but I'll have to just keep reading on that one.  I'm still not sure they should be separated.  It's just another reason to take enough but not too much.

Yep, I do that, too.  Wonder if anyone has any studies to support that?

I think Jenna had some stuides on A & K......

If anyone has them...can they send me them or link them?  I wanna read!

I searched google scholar and the medline database for every combination of words I could think of (retinol, vitamin A, phylloquinone, Vitamin K, antagonist, antagonize, interfere, megadose, etc etc...) I just couldn't pull the right thing up. 

I'd like to know whether it's high doses or too much over time or what.

peltz,

Ha!  We're just opposite, right now.  Let me know how your plan works out.  -Jenny 

 Jenny, I take zinc (50mg) tablet 3x a day. I'm one, like Michelle (Vitalady) that takes it right along with my calcium. My levels have been fine doing it that way. I do make sure I have a little bite of something to eat or the zinc can upset my tummy a bit. I take my copper in my bedtime dose of vites and there's no zinc in that batch. My copper levels have been fine also.

Renee, I have read that Zinc Citrate is easier on the tummy.  Probably more expensive, though.  Thanks for your info. I used to take it with calcium in my "early" days, but then my zinc started to go low, so I separated it.

Jenny,
I take 3 50 mg of zinc each day. I do not separate it from other vits and my levels have been good. My copper has been fine as well.

I take Zinc Picolinate... this kind  http://www.luckyvitamin.com/p-4519-now-foods-zinc-50-mg-100- tablets  

I once was up to 4 a day and that was too much.. It seems to stable at 3 a day for me. These are small capsules.

Hope you figure it out !

Ginger,
Yes, I had a bottle of that once.  I have read that It is good and also Zinc Citrate (have not tried the citrate, yet.)  I just want to get these two things balanced with out spending my whole life trying.  LOL Thanx for you help.