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Being a micronutrient, zinc involves in numerous biochemical reactions as a principle component or catalyzing enzymes for proper propagation of enzymatic function. Metabolic syndrome (MS) has been increasingly reported to be associated with derangement of the intrinsic physiological functions including suppression of micronutrient functionality and concentration. During the COVID-19 outbreak, a relatively high dose of zinc has been prescribed by private clinics for non-infected/high-risk subjects;who include patients with MS on polytherapy. We aimed to investigate the effect of 50mg-zinc tablet administered as an add-on therapy for three months to patients with MS. According to our health care providers;MS patients undergo an annual quadruple check by measuring the routine biochemical factors (serum glucose, and lipid profile), blood pressure, and body mass indices. Data were collected before and after zinc administration and statistically analyzed in comparison to the control non-zinc user group. The results confirmed that zinc positively improved measured parameters by significantly reducing blood pressure, serum glucose, and lipid indices;together with slightly modulating body mass indices. To confirm that the quality of the zinc tablet provided by the supplier, plasma zinc concentrations were also measured before and after therapy. In conclusion, zinc supplementation could be part of the therapy for metabolic diseases and we do advise intermittent zinc use in such patients.

Background: Diabetes is global endemic rapidly increasing in both developed and developing countries and is a common secondary cause of hyperlipidaemia in T2DM patients. Diabetic- dyslipidemic patients exhibit atherogenic lipid profile, which greatly increases their CVD risk. Zinc, essential trace element, has significant function in energy metabolism and has been shown to serve a regulatory role in insulin signalling pathway and in supporting structural integrity of endothelial cells. A study designed to assess the plasma zinc status in t2 dm patients and to correlate zinc levels with lipid parameters, CVD markers as well as with glycemic status. Methods: The t2dm patients in the age group 30-60 years were randomly selected and were sub-grouped age wise, glycemic status-wise and diabetic duration-wise. Fasting Glucose, lipid parameters and zinc were estimated and atherogenic Index of Plasma (AIP), Atherogenic Coefficient (AC), and Cardiac Risk Ratio (CRR) were calculated. Results: The results shows levels of glucose, lipid parameters, AIP, AC and CRR are significantly elevated whereas the levels of HDLC and zinc are significantly lowered in t2dm patients and the rises as well as the fall in HDLC and zinc are proportional to glycemic status. Conclusion: It can be concluded from the present study that zinc levels are lower in t2dm patients and is reciprocally related to glycemic status as well as to the diabetic duration. Further the rise in CVD markers is directly proportional to the glycemic status but inversely related to CVD markers. Keywords: t2dm, CVD markers, glycemic status, zinc.

Previous studies regarding the zinc status in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) yielded inconsistent results. Thus, the present meta-analysis was aimed to estimate the association between hair and serum/plasma zinc levels and ADHD. Online databases of Medline, EMBASE, and Scopus were searched up to October 2020 with no limitation in time and language. Weighted mean differences (WMDs) of hair and serum/plasma zinc levels were calculated using a random-effects model. Overall, 22 articles with 1280 subjects with ADHD and 1200 controls were included. The pooled effect size indicated that serum/plasma zinc levels in subjects with ADHD were not statistically different than their controls (WMD = − 1.26 µmol/L; 95% CI − 3.72, 1.20). Interestingly, the exclusion of one study from the analysis showed that people with ADHD significantly have lower circulating levels of zinc compared to their controls (WMD: − 2.49 µmol/L; 95% CI − 4.29, − 0.69). Also, the pooled effect size indicated that hair zinc levels in cases with ADHD were not statistically different than their controls (WMD = − 24.19 μg/g; 95% CI − 61.80, 13.42). Present meta-analysis raises the possibility that subjects with ADHD are prone to have declined levels of zinc levels. Based on current findings, screening the zinc levels in subjects with ADHD could be reasonable. Further well-designed studies are needed to clarify the role of zinc in the etiology of ADHD.

BACKGROUND Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGBP) is known to reduce zinc absorption; the effects of vertical sleeve gastrectomy (SG) and its long-term implications on zinc absorption have not yet been studied. OBJECTIVE The aim was to evaluate the effects of SG and RYGBP on zinc absorption and zinc status in premenopausal women with severe obesity up to 24 mo after surgery. METHODS Twenty-six premenopausal women undergoing SG [BMI (in kg/m2): 37.3 ± 3.2] and 32 undergoing RYGBP (BMI: 42.0 ± 4.2) were studied. A series of anthropometric, dietary, and zinc status parameters (plasma and hair zinc), and the size of the exchangeable zinc pool (EZP), as well as percentage zinc absorption from a standardized dose using a stable isotope methodology were evaluated in the patients before the surgical procedure and at 12 and 24 mo after SG or RYGBP. SG patients received 15 mg and RYGBP received 25 mg of supplemental Zn/d. RESULTS In premenopausal women, zinc absorption was decreased by 71.9% and 52.0% in SG and RYGBP, respectively, 24 mo postsurgery, compared with initial values. According to 2-factor repeated-measures ANOVA, time effect was significant (P =

Infections are one of the main causes of mortality in elderly due to the decrease of immune response, for which copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) are claimed to be crucial. High serum copper-to-zinc-ratio (Cu/Zn-ratio) has been reported with infections, but little is known whether it could also predict the incidence of infections. The study cohort consisted of 1975 men aged 42–60 years and free of severe infectious disease at baseline in 1984–1989 from the prospective population-based Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study. The main outcome was an incident infection leading to hospitalization. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used for statistical analysis. During the average follow-up of 19.2 years, 636 incident first cases of infections were diagnosed. The hazard ratio (HR) of developing an incident infectious disease in the highest compared to the lowest Cu/Zn-ratio quartile after adjustment for age and baseline examination year was 1.35 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.07–1.69, P-trend across quartiles = 0.005]. The association was slightly attenuated after additional adjustment for potential confounders (HR = 1.21, 95% CI = 0.96–1.53, P-trend = 0.054). Furthermore, higher serum Cu concentration was associated with higher risk of an incident infection. The multivariable-adjusted HR was 1.39 (95% CI = 1.10–1.75, P-trend = 0.005) in the highest versus the lowest serum Cu quartile. Serum Zn concentration was not associated with the risk (multivariable-adjusted extreme-quartile HR = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.67–1.04, P-trend = 0.218). In conclusion, our data suggest that an increased Cu/Zn-ratio and especially serum Cu concentration are associated with increased risk of incident infections in middle-aged and older men in Eastern Finland.

Plasma zinc concentrations (PZC) have been shown to significantly increase during zinc supplementation. This study investigated the effects of daily preventive zinc supplementation on hair and nail zinc concentrations compared with a control group. In a randomized controlled trial, 6- to 23-month-old children (n = 3407) in Lao PDR were randomly assigned to one of four groups and followed for ~ 36 weeks: daily preventive zinc dispersible tablet (7 mg/d; PZ), daily micronutrient powder (10 mg zinc/d; MNP), therapeutic zinc supplements for diarrhea treatment (20 mg/d for 10 days; TZ), or daily placebo powder (Control). Plasma, hair, and nail zinc concentrations were assessed in a sub-sample of participants (n = 457) at baseline and endline. At baseline, 75% of children had low PZC (P P = 0.99). Nail zinc concentrations were marginally higher in the PZ (115.8 (111.6, 119.9) μg/g) and the MNP (117.8 (113.3, 122.3) μg/g) groups than in the TZ group (110.4 (106.0, 114.8) μg/g; P = 0.055) at endline. This study does not support the use of hair zinc as a biomarker of zinc exposure in young children. However, it provides some evidence that zinc concentrations in nails may respond to supplemental zinc interventions and supports the need for collecting additional data on this emerging biomarker.

Background: Condyloma acuminata is a type of human papilloma virus (HPV) infection in the anogenital area and often associated with immunosuppressive conditions, such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Low plasma zinc levels could cause alteration of cellular immunity, leading to reduction of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ), cytokines required for inhibition of HPV replication. Moreover, low plasma zinc levels could cause disruption of apoptotic regulation, results in the unimpeded proliferation of epithelial cells infected with HPV. This study aimed to compare the mean plasma zinc levels in condyloma acuminata patients with HIV and without HIV infection. Methods: This study used a cross-sectional method, involving 27 condyloma acuminata patients without HIV infection and 18 patients with HIV infection, who agreed to enroll and signed the informed consent. This study was conducted in the dermatology and venereology outpatient clinic in Sanglah Hospital and Kerti Praja Foundation, Denpasar. Bivariate analysis of the characteristics, age, sex orientation, location of lesion, clinical form of lesion, type of cases, duration of condyloma acuminata, age of the first sexual contact, comorbidity, treatment history, and mean plasma zinc level of condyloma acuminata patients with HIV and without HIV infection. The CD4+ cell count and history of ARV treatment were also obtained form patients with HIV infection. Results: A total of 45 subjects were diagnosed with condyloma acuminata, consisted of 27 subjects with condyloma acuminata without HIV infection and 18 subjects with HIV infection, showing average age of 32.04 ± 10.414. Mean plasma zinc levels in condyloma acuminata patients with HIV infection was significantly lower than subjects without HIV infection, and the difference in mean plasma zinc levels was 7.31 µg/dL (95% CI 2.25 - 12.37, p

Changes in zinc metabolism caused by aging and the institutionalization process may contribute to zinc deficiency in elderly individuals. Hypozincemia results in changes in glycemic, lipid, and inflammatory profiles. The aim of this study was to evaluate plasma zinc concentrations and their relationships with sociodemographic, dietary, inflammatory, and cardiometabolic biomarkers in institutionalized elderly individuals. A cross-sectional study was carried out including 255 elderly adults living in nursing homes. The associations between plasma zinc and dietary zinc intake, sociodemographic indicators, and glycemic, lipid, and inflammatory biomarkers were evaluated. Independent variables were analyzed according to quartiles of plasma zinc concentrations (Q1:71.1 μg/dL; Q2: 71.1-83.3 μg/dL; Q3:83.3-93.7 μg/dL; Q4:93.7 μg/dL). The relationship between plasma zinc concentrations and predictor variables was also tested. In Q1, higher concentrations of the following variables were observed, compared with those in other quartiles: total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c; Q1 Q2, Q3, Q4; all p0.001); triglycerides (Q1 Q3, Q4; all p 0.001); interleukin (IL)-6 (Q1 Q3, Q4; p = 0.024 and p = 0.010, respectively); tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α (Q1 Q3, p = 0.003). A significant reduction in plasma zinc concentrations was observed with increasing age-adjusted institutionalization time (Δ = - 0.10; 95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.18 to -0.01). The concentrations of total cholesterol (Δ = - 0.19; 95% CI: -0.23 to -0.15), LDL-c (Δ = - 0.19; 95% CI: -0.23 to -0.15), triglycerides (Δ = - 0.11; 95% CI: -0.16 to -0.06), IL-6 (Δ = - 1.41; 95% CI: -2.64 to -0.18), and TNF-α (Δ = - 1.04; 95% CI: -1.71 to -0.36) were also significantly increased. In conclusion, decreased plasma zinc concentrations were associated with longer institutionalization time and worse lipid and inflammatory profiles in elderly institutionalized individuals.

Summary Introduction Hemorrhage occurs in 7–10% of patients treated with vitamin K antagonist (VKA), with major bleeding in 1–3%. Impact of nutritional status on the bleeding risk of patients on anticoagulants is still poorly documented. Our study aimed to analyze the link between the nutritional status of patients on VKA and the occurrence of hemorrhagic events. We also analyzed micronutrients status. Methods A case–control, monocentric, and prospective study was conducted from August 2012 to October 2015. The case patients were those presenting with major bleeding and control patients those without any bleeding under VKA treatment. Results Overall, 294 patients under VKA treatment were paired according to age, gender, and index normalized ratio (INR). Out of these, 98 (33.3%) had major bleeding and 196 (66.7%) did not have any bleeding. Additionally, more than two-thirds of patients displayed undernutrition, which was more prevalent in bleeding than non-bleeding patients (OR = 1.85, CI95%: 1.07–3.21). There was a higher bleeding risk for those with severe undernutrition (OR = 2.66, CI95%: 1.58–4.46), with no difference found concerning moderate undernutrition. Bleeding patients had lower plasma-zinc concentrations than non-bleeding patients (9.4 ± 3.6 vs. 10.5 ± 3.7 μmol/L, p = 0.003); among them, there was a higher rate of patients with plasma zinc under 5 μmol/L (9% vs. 2%, p Conclusion Patients with undernutrition on VKA exhibit a significantly higher bleeding risk, which increases three-fold in case of severe undernutrition. The evaluation of nutritional status provides additional, valuable prognosis information prior to initiating VKA therapy. ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT 01742871.

Androgenic alopecia (AGA) is the most common type of progressive hair loss in man. The search for reliable predictors of the conservative treatment&rsquo, s effectiveness is an urgent problem today. Forty-eight patients with AGA, stages I&ndash, IV by the Norwood&ndash, Hamilton scale, were treated for 4 months with 5% topical minoxidil joints with corrections for trace element and vitamin imbalances. In most cases, the positive therapy&rsquo, s effect was shown in the parietal but not in the occipital area, whereas that effect was observed in others. The attempts to associate the therapy&rsquo, s effectiveness with initially defined genetic, hormonal, and metabolic parameters showed the absence of differences between groups with positive and negative outcomes. Among the studied nutrient parameters (Zn, Cu, Mg, Ca, Fe, and Se, as well as vitamins B12, E, D, and folic acid), differences between these groups was shown in zinc content only. The starting point from a zinc plasma level above 10 &micro, mol/L likely provides the success of the subsequent conservative therapy and correlates with an increase in the hair density and diameter in the parietal area. The integral predictive value of the Zn plasma level was assessed as 72.3% (positive predictive value: &minus, 88%, and negative predictive value: &minus, 55%).

This review addresses the prevalence of zinc deficiency in Low- and Middle-income Countries (LMICs) and assesses the available strategies for its alleviation. The paucity of national-level data on the zinc deficiency in LMICs is partially a result of the lack of a reliable biomarker. Zinc deficiency appears to be a public health problem in almost all the LMICs, irrespective of the recommended indicators (plasma zinc concentration, dietary zinc adequacy and stunting prevalence) used. Based on plasma/serum zinc concentration (PZC), which is the most appropriate indicator at present, the prevalence of zinc deficiency in LMICs is of concern. Among the 25 countries for which national PZC data were available, 23 had a zinc deficiency prevalence of >20% for at least one physiological group. Zinc supplementation is largely restricted as an adjunct therapy for diarrhoea management in children, and the best platform and the most effective way of preventive zinc supplementation delivery remains to be established. Impact assessment for current zinc fortification programmes in LMICs and the effectiveness of zinc supplementation as part of a multi-micronutrient powder is to be determined. Dietary diversification, though promising for LMICs, is in the nascent stages of development at present. Inclusion of meat and animal products can be an important way of improving zinc status. Programmatic experience with the promotion of home processing techniques to increase absorbable zinc in the diet is lacking. Conventional biofortification techniques are gaining recognition in LMICs; however, transgenic biofortification as a strategy remains controversial.

BACKGROUND Previous studies have reported an association between maternal zinc deficiency and increased risk of nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (NSCL/P) in offspring. A high prevalence of zinc deficiency and a high prevalence of NSCL/P have been reported in Ecuador. We postulated that mothers of infants with NSCL/P may have lower serum zinc levels than women from the general population. METHODS A case series study was conducted from November 2013 to July 2016. Thirty-five healthy mothers of infants with NSCL/P were selected during surgical missions conducted by Operacion Sonrisa Ecuador. A single blood sample along with pertinent medical history was collected during personal interviews after 3.6 months postpartum. The prevalence of plasma zinc concentration (PZn) deficiency among the participants was determined and analyzed along with the prevalence of PZn deficiency in Ecuadorian women of reproductive age from the general population. RESULTS The mean PZn was 11.47 µmol/dm3 . The prevalence of PZn deficiency among the participants was 31.4% (95% CI: 17.1-48.6) and differed significantly from the prevalence of zinc deficiency observed among women from the general population (G2 = 8.66; p

The kidney is complex vital organs, and has many functions. The main function it‘s removal of toxic and excess substancesfrom the plasma, if there is any defect in the kidney like renal failure can disrupt this function. The aim of this study was to determine the level of Zinc and Copper in Sudanese patient with chronic renal failure. This study was designed as case control, which includes 100 blood samples, a 60 from these sample were collected from patient with chronic renal failure and 40 samples were collected from health individual as control group and the sample is collected by using sterile disposable syringes and separated by centrifuge. Carried out in Ribat University Hospital in Khartoum state, during period from March to June 2018. And the plasma levels of zinc and copper determined by the use of atomic absorption spectrophotometer (OPERATOR’S MANUAL January 2003 VER 3.94 C), and the obtained results were analyzed by SPSS. The result of this study showed that there was significant decrease (p

Objective We aimed to evaluate the association between baseline plasma zinc and the development of proteinuria as well as possible effect modifiers in hypertensive patients. Methods This is a subset of the China Stroke Primary Prevention Trial (CSPPT) Renal Sub-Study. In the CSPPT, participants were randomized to receive a daily oral dose of 1 tablet containing 10 mg enalapril and 0.8 mg folic acid or 1 tablet containing 10 mg enalapril only. A total of 783 participants with plasma zinc measurements and without proteinuria at baseline were included in the current study. The study outcome was the development of proteinuria during the follow-up, defined as a urine dipstick reading of trace or ≥1+ at the exit visit. Results During a median follow-up duration of 4.4 years, the development of proteinuria occurred in 93 (11.9 %) participants. There was an inverse relation of baseline plasma zinc with the development of proteinuria (per SD increment; OR, 0.74, 95 % CI: 0.55−0.99), p for trend of quartiles = 0.005. Conclusions In Chinese hypertensive patients, there was a significant inverse association between baseline plasma zinc and the development of proteinuria, although plasma zinc remained in the reference range.

Background The size of the rapidly exchanging pool of body zinc has been suggested as having potential utility as a biomarker of zinc status. Knowledge of the relations of exchangeable zinc pool (EZP) size to relevant variables is necessary to adequately evaluate its use as a biomarker. Objective We used regression analysis to investigate associations of EZP with age, sex, body size, and zinc nutrition variables. Methods Data were compiled from 18 isotope tracer studies of zinc absorption in 247 children and adults (248 observations) in which EZP and relevant variables (e.g., weight, age, absorbed zinc) were measured. Linear regression analyses were performed separately on data from adults and children. Results In children, EZP was most strongly associated with weight (r = 0.78). The best-fitting regression models of EZP (R2 ≥ 0.68) had weight or age and weight-for-age z score as predictors. Other variables had little effect on EZP when controlling for weight. Absorbed zinc was observed to be a predictor of EZP only in zinc intervention trials of infants. The mean EZP/wt was 4 mg/kg between 8 and 120 mo of age. In adults, EZP was observed to vary in a complex manner with (in order of importance) age, absorbed zinc, weight, sex, and plasma zinc concentration. EZP data from zinc-deprived subjects were lower than the 95% prediction interval of a model of normative data. Conclusions EZP was observed to maintain a constant size relative to weight and was influenced only slightly by other factors in children. In contrast, EZP in adults varied with several factors, including absorbed zinc, and was statistically smaller in zinc-deprived individuals. The findings suggest that EZP may have utility as an indicator of zinc status in adults, but there is less evidence for this in children. Additional data are needed to reach a definitive conclusion.

Background: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a common multifactorial and complex neuro developmental disorder often persisting through adolescence and adulthood. Indications of nutritional treatments with omega-3 fatty acids, and minerals like zinc, magnesium, iron, etc. are gaining importance. We therefore sought to estimate ,and compare the mineral content of zinc, magnesium, and iron in the plasma of ADHD diagnosed children with normal non-ADHD children, and establish a correlation if any with the disorder symptoms. Methods and findings: Psychiatric evaluation was performed using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV and plasma elemental analysis using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Low levels of zinc, magnesium and iron were observed in ADHD children when compared to their healthy controls. Conclusion: Children with ADHD exhibit lower concentrations of plasma zinc, magnesium, and iron as compared to normal controls which could be correlated with the disorder symptoms in ADHD.

Background Repeated blood transfusions in thalassemic chil- dren can lead to iron overload in the body. High ferritin level leads to low plasma zinc status because of their competitive inhibition. Previous study found that there was a correlation between plasma zinc level and nutritional status. Objective To obtain plasma zinc level, to investigate the correla- tion between plasma zinc and ferritin, and the impact of plasma zinc on nutritional status in children with thallasemia. Methods A cross sectional study was conducted on 67 thalas- semic children. This study was performed at Thalassemia Center, Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Jakarta, from 1 st until 31 st of March 2005. The age of the patients ranged from 4 to 18 years, with fer- ritin levels more than 2000 ng/ml during the last 6 months or total transfusion more than 5 liters. The subjects were divided into 2 groups, i.e. group 1 (4-10 years) and group 2 (>10-18 years). Di- etary intake was assessed by 3 day-dietary recall. The nutritional status were judged by mid upper arm circumference (MUAC) for age and height for age (H/A). Venous blood was obtained to mea- sure plasma zinc and ferritin levels. Statistical analysis was done by Student’s t-test (2-tailed) and linear regression analysis. Results We found that 42% subjects were well-nourished, 51% were undernourished, and 7% were severely malnourished. All sub- jects had low plasma zinc status 31.9 (SD 16.9) μg/dl. There was a weak negative correlation between plasma zinc and ferritin level (r = -0.282, P=0.021). Lower zinc intake was detected in 65 out of 67 subjects. Conclusion All thalassemic children in our hospital had low plasma zinc level. There was a weak negative correlation between plasma zinc level and ferritin level. There was no significant correlation between plasma zinc status and nutritional status

Although several micronutrients deficiency were reported to be associated with poor muscle function, however information on sarcopenia patients is still lacking. The aim of this report was to measure some micronutrients blood-based status in sarcopenia patients during both acute illness and recovery.We assessed nutritional status of randomly selected hospitalised patients using anthropometric, haematological and biochemical data at baseline, 6 weeks and at 6 months. Sarcopenia was diagnosed from low muscle mass and low muscle strength using anthropometric measures based on the European Working Group criteria. Micronutrient status was compared between sarcopenia patients and those without sarcopenia over a 6 months period.Forty-four out of 432 patients (10%) were diagnosed with sarcopenia on admission. Patients diagnosed with sarcopenia had lower micronutrients concentrations compared to those patients without sarcopenia however, the results were statistically significant only for baseline serum albumin, red cell folate and plasma zinc (p 0.05). Lycopene, retinol, red cell folate and zinc were also significantly lower in sarcopenia patients at 6 weeks. Sarcopenia patients readmitted to hospital had poor baseline micronutrient status compared with sarcopenia patients stayed in the community during the 6-months follow up period but differences were not statistically significant. Both baseline serum albumin and plasma zinc were significantly higher in sarcopenia patients who were alive compared with those died at 6 months follow up.Baseline serum albumin and plasma zinc concentrations were lower in patients diagnosed with sarcopenia compared to those without sarcopenia, and also in sarcopenia patients who died compared with those alive at 6 months follow up.

There is a growing body of evidence that diabetic conditions are associated with sexual problems. Metabolism of trace elements is altered in diabetic mellitus, and they may have a specific role in the pathogenesis and progression of the disease. The aims of this study are to investigate the levels of zinc and magnesium in semen of patients with diabetes mellitus and to find out if there is any association between trace elements and semen parameters in these diabetic subjects. Semen samples from 25 diabetic men and 25 nondiabetic were analyzed for physical and biochemical parameters. Zinc (Zn) and magnesium (Mg) levels were estimated by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Zn and Mg concentrations in seminal plasma of nondiabetic men were more elevated than in diabetic groups. Zn showed positive and significant correlations with sperm motility (p

Background: Acute Lower Respiratory Tract Infection (ALRI) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in the developing world. Pneumonia is a severe form of ALRI that cause over 2 million deaths annually among children younger than 5 years of age. About 19% of all deaths, pneumonia is the leading cause of child mortality. Malnutrition is known to be associated with greater intensity of lower respiratory tract infections, higher the frequency of complications, longer episodes of infections. This study is to assess the plasma zinc levels in normal and malnourished children with LRI aged 2 months to 5 years.Methods: This is a case control study, which was carried out in the Department of Paediatrics, Sree Balaji Medical College and Hospital, the study period is one year from July 2016 to July 2017. 100 children between 2 months to 5 years of age with LRI was included in the study and children less than 2 months and more than 5 years. 50 Children with normal nutrition were taken as controls and 50 children with moderate and severe malnutrition were taken as cases. Age and sex were matched among cases and controls. Blood samples were collected for zinc estimation in both the cases and controls. All children were investigated and treated as per the department protocol for the particular condition. All statistical procedures were performed using SPSS v 21.0.Results: In present study, 66% of children had normal zinc levels, 34% of children had low zinc levels. The mean zinc level in our cases was 54.84±18.31 and in controls was 76.84±15.2, which was statistically significant (p = 0.000). Mean plasma zinc levels with respect to age and sex were not significant.Conclusions: Total 34% of children with LRI had low plasma zinc levels. Plasma zinc level were significantly low in malnourished children than normally nourished children with LRI, which is one of the most important cause of high childhood mortality in developing countries.

Pneumonia is a major health problem affecting children all over the world and remains a major cause of childhood morbidity and mortality in developing countries. Children with micronutrients deficiency including zinc, which might cause immune system disorder, have higher risk to have pneumonia. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between plasma zinc level and pneumonia, severe, and very severe pneumonia in children aged 2–59 months. This observational analytic with cross-sectional study was performed at the Pediatric Department of Dr. Hasan Sadikin General Hospital, Ujung Berung Hospital and Cibabat Hospital, in August to November 2009. Subjects of this study were 2–59-month-old children who meet the WHO Indonesian classification for pneumonia. Blood samples for plasma zinc examination were collected on admission. Data were analysed using exact Fisher and Mann-Whitney test for the association between plasma zinc level and severity of pneumonia. A total of 42 subjects were enrolled, 1 (2%) child were classified as having pneumonia, 32 (76%) children with severe, and 9 (22%) with very severe pneumonia. There were significant differences (p=0.032) in plasma zinc levels between severe and very severe pneumonia with a median of 96.685 μg/dL (57.32–195.66 μg/dL) for severe pneumonia and 80.240 μg/dL (63.0–111.84 μg/dL) for very severe pneumonia. This study shows an association between plasma zinc levels and severe and very severe pneumonia in children aged 2–59 months.

Frailty is a geriatric syndrome associated with adiposity. Zinc alpha2-glycoprotein (ZAG), a novel adipokine, is a modulator of body fat mass and positively correlates with age. This observational study aims to investigate the relationship between plasma ZAG levels and frailty in the elderly. We enrolled 189 elder participants from a hospital-based comprehensive geriatric assessment program in Taiwan from January 2007 to June 2008. The demographic data, body weight, body mass index, appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (ASMI), body fat mass percentage, metabolic and inflammatory parameters including plasma tumor-necrosis factor alpha, C-reactive protein and ZAG levels, were assessed. The frailty score was assessed by Fried Frailty Index. The mean age of all participants (91 [48.1%] men and 98 [51.9%] women) was 77.19 ± 6.12 years. Judged by the FFI score, 46 (24.34%) elders were robust, 106 (56.08%) were pre-frail, and 37 (19.58%) were frail. Older men showed greater ASMI and lower fat mass percentage in comparison to older women (P

BACKGROUND The WHO and UNICEF recommend therapeutic zinc supplementation (TZS) for the treatment of diarrhea. In zinc-deficient populations, preventive zinc supplementation might provide greater benefits for reducing diarrhea and malaria incidence and increasing growth and plasma zinc (pZn) concentration. If effective, intermittent preventive zinc supplementation (IPZS) would cost less than daily preventive zinc supplementation (DPZS). OBJECTIVE We assessed the effects of IPZS, DPZS, and TZS in children on the primary outcomes of diarrhea incidence, malaria incidence, growth, and pZn concentration compared with nonsupplemented control groups. METHODS Rural Burkinabe children (n = 7641; 6-30 mo old) in 36 clusters were randomly assigned to 1 of 5 treatment groups for 16, 32, or 48 wk: 1) IPZS (10 mg Zn/d for 10 d every 16 wk); 2) DPZS (7 mg Zn/d); 3) TZS (20 mg Zn/d for 10 d for diarrhea); 4) morbidity surveillance control (MSC); or 5) nonintervention control (NIC). Supplemented groups remained masked until completion of primary analyses with mixed models. RESULTS At baseline, stunting (28.6%) and low pZn concentration (

Background: Zinc deficiency is prevalent in HIV and hyperglycemic patients. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is a treatment to control HIV progression; however it increases the risk for hyperglycemia. The objective of this study was to assess the plasma zinc levels in hyperglycemic people living with HIV (PLWH). Methods: Secondary analysis was conducted on the data from the Miami Adult Studies in HIV (MASH) cohort in Florida. Patients were categorized into hyperglycemic group (fasting blood glucose ≥100 mg/dL) and normal group (

AimTo assess plasma zinc and copper concentration in individuals with autism and correlate these levels with symptom severity.Subjects and MethodsPlasma from 102 autistic individuals, and 18 neurotypical controls, were tested for plasma zinc and copper using inductively-coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Copper and zinc levels and Cu/Zn were analyzed for possible correlation with severity of 19 symptoms.ResultsAutistic individuals had elevated plasma levels of copper and Cu/Zn and lower, but not significantly lower, plasma Zn compared to neurotypical controls. There was a correlation between Cu/Zn and expressive language, receptive language, focus attention, hyperactivity, fine motor skills, gross motor skills and Tip Toeing. There was a negative correlation between plasma zinc concentration and hyperactivity, and fine motor skills severity.DiscussionThese results suggest an association between plasma Cu/Zn and severity of symptoms associated with autism.

Recommendations for zinc intake during pregnancy and lactation vary widely across Europe. Using data on zinc intake and biomarkers of zinc status reported in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies can provide estimates of dose-response relationships that may be used for underpinning zinc reference values. This systematic review included all RCTs, prospective cohort studies, nested case-control studies and cross-sectional studies in healthy pregnant and lactating populations published by February 2010 which provided data on zinc intake and biomarkers of zinc status. An intake-status regression coefficient (βˆ) was calculated for each individual study and calculated the overall pooled βˆ and SE (βˆ) using random effects meta-analysis on a double log scale. The pooled dose-response relationship between zinc intake and zinc status found that a doubling of zinc intake was associated with an increase in serum/plasma zinc status by 3% in pregnant women and by 1% in lactating women. These modest associations are likely to reflect the low-moderate zinc bioavailability dietary patterns and the widespread use of other micronutrients in the populations included in this review, physiologic adjustments of zinc homeostasis, insensitivity of serum/plasma zinc as a biomarker of zinc status, and wide heterogeneity between study results which reflect real uncertainty in the current evidence base. Although this review provides useful information for dietary zinc requirements in populations vulnerable to zinc deficiency, it also highlights a need for further studies in pregnant and lactating women with different dietary patterns in order to provide useful complementary evidence that can be utilized when setting zinc recommendations as a basis for nutrition policies in Europe.

Introduction Acrodermatitis enteropathica is a rare autosomal recessive disease due to an abnormality in a zinc transporting molecule. Methods We conducted a retrospective monocentric study on 29 Tunisian cases of Acrodermatitis enteropathica (AE) treated in our Department of Dermatology in Tunisia, between January 1981 and June 2008. Results The age of onset of disorders was between 15 d and 12 months (mean 6.86 ± 3.25 months). The delay of consultation ranged between 15 d and 8 months (mean of 2.8 ± 2.17 months) after onset. Onset of gastrointestinal and psychiatric signs depended significantly on consulting times. Plasma zinc levels ranged between 14 and 88 lg/100 ml (mean 44.86 ± 18.4 lg/100 ml). There was not a significant relation between zincemia and clinical features. Genetic analyses in 13 of our patients showed three different mutations in the SLC39A4 gene: c.1223_1227del (p.Trp411ArgfsX7) in exon 7,c.143T>G (p.Leu48X) in exon 1 and c.1784T>C (p.Gly595Val) in exon 11. No significant genotype-phenotype correlations could be established. Conclusion Acrodermatitis enteropathica is a rare disease which diagnosis is easy. Its biological confirmation is made on a simple dosage of zincemia. However, the diagnosis is not always suggested, and is unfortunately made late. At present, there is a molecular test to detect SLC39A4 mutations.

Zinc is an important mineral for biological and physiological processes. Zinc deficiency (ZD) is one of the most common micronutrient deficiencies worldwide and a crucial determinant of pregnancy outcomes and childhood development. Zinc levels and the zinc supplementation rate among lactating women have not been assessed neither in Ecuador nor in the Andean region. We conducted a pilot study including 64 mothers of infants between eight days to seven months old from a primary care center located in Conocoto, a peri-urban community of Quito, Ecuador. The mothers were interviewed and a fasting blood sample was taken to determine plasma zinc levels. The prevalence of ZD was calculated and compared with the prevalence of ZD among Ecuadorian non-pregnant non-lactating women, and the sample was analysed considering zinc supplementation during pregnancy. The prevalence of ZD among the participants was 81.3% (95% CI: 71.7–90.9), higher than the reported among non-pregnant non-lactating women (G2 = 18.2; p < 0.05). Zinc supplementation rate was 31.2%. No significant differences were found comparing the groups considering zinc supplementation. The insights obtained from this study encourage extending studies to document zinc levels and its interactions among breastfeeding women in areas with a high prevalence of ZD in order to determine the need of zinc supplementation.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of cigarette smoking on seminal plasma zinc levels and sperm parameters, and to examine the role of seminal plasma zinc. Semen samples from 79 non-smokers and 68 smokers were obtained. There was a significant decrease in seminal plasma zinc in smokers and a clear correlation between seminal plasma zinc levels and the extent of smoking. Sperm parameters (concentration, motility and morphology) among smokers were significantly lower in comparison to non-smokers. These parameters were also significantly decreased among smokers with abnormal zinc levels, while there was no significant difference between non-smokers with normal zinc and non-smokers with abnormal zinc levels. As previous studies have shown that seminal plasma zinc is associated with a decrease of anti-oxidant defences, seminal plasma zinc could be a contributor to the effects of cigarette smoking on sperm parameters. In conclusion, cigarette smoking can affect sperm parameters and this study may help towards providing a mechanistic explanation.

Suboptimal zinc status is common in very young children and likely associated with increased risk of infection and detrimental effects on growth. No studies have determined potentially modifiable “predictors” of zinc status in toddlers from high-income countries. This cross-sectional analysis of 115 toddlers from the Baby-Led Introduction to SolidS (BLISS) study used weighed diet records (three non-consecutive days) to assess dietary intake, and a venous blood sample (trace-element free techniques) to assess plasma zinc, at 12 months of age. “Predictors” of plasma zinc were determined by univariate analysis and multiple regression. Mean (SD) plasma zinc was 9.7 (1.5) μmol/L, 60% were below the IZiNCG reference limit of

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to investigate the levels of plasma zinc, hair zinc, growth and food consumption in children aged 6 to 24 months in a rural area of Diamantina (MG), Brazil. METHODS: Plasma and hair zinc concentrations were analyzed using flame atomic absorption spectrometry and neutron activation analysis, respectively. Weight-for-age, weight-for-height and height-for-age, expressed as Z-scores, were measured according to the World Health Organization reference curves. Dietary zinc intake was determined by a 3-day dietary recall filled out by the mother or guardian. RESULTS: Zinc deficiency was found in 11.2% and 16.8% of the children according to plasma zinc e hair zinc levels, respectively. Mean plasma zinc and hair zinc for children 11 (127) months of age were 15.4 (SD=4.2) µmol L-1 and 139.5 (SD=72.1) µg g-1 and 16.0 (SD=4.5) µmol L-1 and 134.3 (SD=110.3) µg g-1, respectively. Anthropometric measurements showed that 8.0%, 6.8% and 3.4% of the children were underweight, stunted and wasted, respectively. The mean dietary intake of zinc was 3.2 (SD=2.3) mg/day. One-third of the children did not eat enough foods that contain zinc. There were no correlations among plasma zinc level, hair zinc level, anthropometric parameters and zinc intake. CONCLUION: The results demonstrate that zinc deficiency is a problem in the studied population, not just in malnourished children. Nutritional care should be provided for this population in order to improve their consumption of high-zinc foods and monitor zinc deficiency. OBJETIVO: Investigar níveis plasmáticos de zinco, concentração de zinco capilar, crescimento físico, e consumo de zinco em crianças de 6 a 24 meses da região de Diamantina (MG), Brasil. MÉTODOS: As concentrações de zinco plasmático e zinco capilar foram analisadas empregando as técnicas de espectrometria atômica de absorção e de ativação neutrônica, respectivamente. Peso-para-idade, peso-para-altura e altura-para-idade, expressos em escore-Z, foram medidos, de acordo as curvas de referência da Organização Mundial de Saúde. O zinco dietético dos sujeitos foi avaliado a partir de três registros alimentares, preenchidos pelas mães ou responsáveis. RESULTADOS: A deficiência de zinco foi observada em 11,2% e em 16,8% das crianças, segundo os níveis de zinco plasmático e zinco capilar, respectivamente. As médias em crianças com 11 meses ou menos (49) e 11 (127) meses ou mais de idade para níveis de zinco plasmático e zinco em cabelos foram 15,4 (DP=4,2) µmol L-1 e 139,5 (DP= 72,1) µg g-1 e 16,0 (DP= 4,5) µmol L-1 e 134,3 (DP=110,3) µg g-1, respectivamente. Os resultados antropométricos mostraram que 8,0%, 6,8% e 3,4% das crianças foram classificadas com baixo peso, baixa estatura e emagrecidas, respectivamente. A média do consumo dietético de zinco pelas crianças foi de 3,2 (DP=2,3) mg/zinco por dia, e um terço das crianças consumiam alimentos fonte de zinco abaixo do recomendado. Não houve correlação entre as variáveis zinco plasmático, zinco em cabelos, antropometria e consumo de zinco. CONCLUSÃO: Os resultados demonstram que a deficiência de zinco é um problema na população estudada, não somente nas crianças desnutridas. Atenção nutricional deverá ser direcionada a esta população, com o intuito de melhorar o consumo de alimentos ricos neste mineral e monitorar a deficiência de zinco.

OBJECTIVE To determine plasma zinc concentrations in children and adolescents with cirrhosis and to investigate the association between these results and dietary zinc intake, anthropometric data, and severity of liver disease. METHODS Plasma zinc concentration was assessed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry in 30 children and adolescents with cirrhosis (105.0+/-60.0 months; 22 girls) and 27 without liver disease (122.3+/-47.3 months, 14 girls). Dietary zinc data were evaluated by 3-day food intake records. Anthropometry measures included height, weight, skinfold thickness, brachial circumference, and upper arm muscle size. Severity of liver disease was classified according to the Child-Pugh, MELD, and PELD criteria. RESULTS The mean (+/- standard deviation) plasma zinc concentrations in control subjects and patients were 105.69+/-19.46 and 75.44+/-24.45 microg/dL, respectively (p < 0.001). No associations were found between anthropometric measures, dietary zinc intake, and plasma zinc concentration. There was statistical difference related to plasma zinc concentrations between Child-Pugh B + C patients and control subjects (p < 0.001), and concerning PELD, between patients below the cutoff score of 15 and those above (p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of hypozincemia was 43% for patients with cirrhosis. Although low plasma zinc concentration was associated with more severe liver disease, it was present even in some Child-Pugh A patients. Therefore, zinc supplementation should be considered for cirrhotic children.

To test the efficacy of zinc supplementation through diet or ayurvedic zinc tablet on cognitive function and taste acuity in adolescent girls.Using zinc-rich food items, snacks were prepared by adopting food-processing methods that enhance zinc bioavailability. Ayurvedic zinc tablet (jasad bhasma) was chosen as a natural elemental zinc supplement. Efficacy of snacks and the tablet was assessed in 180 schoolgirls (12.5 +/- 0.85 years) from Pune City, India, who were randomly allocated to any of the 3 groups: (1) ayurvedic zinc tablet-J, (2) zinc-rich snacks-D, or (3) Control-C. Supplementation was given on every school day (6 days/wk) for 10 weeks. All measurements were recorded at baseline and at the end of the study period. Food intake was recorded by 24-hour diet recall on 3 random days. Hemoglobin, serum ferritin, and plasma zinc were estimated on a fasting blood sample. Cognitive assessment was done on each participant using tests for simple reaction time (SRT), recognition reaction time (RRT), visual memory, and Raven's Progressive Matrices (RPM). Taste acuity was determined by recognition thresholds for salt (RTS) over a range of 10 different salt concentrations.A higher increase in plasma zinc (61.3%) was observed in the J group than in the D group (9.9%) (p0.01), whereas plasma zinc declined in the control group (-2.2%) over baseline (p0.1). Hemoglobin showed no change in all 3 groups (p0.1). Percent increment in scores for memory and RPM was significantly more in the D and J groups (24.5%-29.6%) than in the C group (6.5%) (p0.05). Mean SRT and RRT were reduced more in the D and J groups (5%-16%) than in the C group (1.6%) (p0.05). A significant fall in median RTS from 5 to 2.5 mmol/L was noted after both diet and zinc supplementation (p0.01); however, it remained the same at 5 mmol/L in the Control group after 10 weeks.Supplementation of ayurvedic zinc and zinc-rich foods are effective in improving cognitive performance and the recognition threshold for salt of adolescent girls.

We explored the hypothesis that marked decline in plasma zinc concentrations among critically ill children is related to shifts in metallothionein expression and inflammation.Prospective pilot study.Intensive care unit of tertiary care children's hospital.All children (18 yrs) with unadjusted Pediatric Risk of Mortality III score5 or at least one organ failure admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit from March through August 2006 were eligible for enrollment.After consent, blood samples were collected on days 1 and 3 of illness and analyzed for serum chemistries, plasma zinc and copper levels, metallothionein isoform expression, and cytokine levels.Twenty patients were enrolled, with median age of 2.9 yrs (interquartile range, 0.7-10.1). Male to female ratio was 1.2:1. All patients had low zinc levels (mean, 0.43; range, 0.26-0.66 mug/dL) on day 1 of pediatric intensive care unit admission, and remained low (mean, 0.51; range, 0.26-0.81 mug/dL) on day 3, even when corrected for hypoalbuminemia. In comparison, serum copper levels were normal. On day 1, there was a positive correlation between zinc levels and expression of MT-1A (p0.01), MT-1G (p = 0.02), and MT-1H (p = 0.03). Plasma zinc levels correlated inversely with C-reactive protein levels (r = -.75, p = 0.01) and interleukin-6 levels (r = -.53, p = 0.04) on day 3. On day 3, patients with two or more organ failures had significantly lower plasma zinc concentrations compared with patients with/=1 organ failure (p = 0.03).Plasma zinc concentrations are low in critically ill children. Plasma zinc correlated with measures of inflammation (C-reactive protein and interleukin-6) on day 3; low plasma zinc concentrations were associated with the degree of organ failure on day 3. These data serve as the basis for a larger study of shifts in plasma zinc concentrations in critically children to potentially identify patients who might benefit from zinc supplementation.

To examine the effect of acute exhaustive exercise versus rest on short-term zinc kinetics in men.Crossover design, wherein all subjects were their own control.University setting, where subjects were free living.12 healthy, sedentary men, 25-35 years of age.(70)Zn was infused 10 min after exercise or at rest. Plasma zinc concentrations were measured at baseline and 2, 5, 10, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90 and 120 min after exercise or rest. Haematocrit was measured before and after exercise to assess changes in plasma volume.Plasma zinc (primary), serum creatine kinase and serum cortisol concentrations (secondary).Plasma zinc concentrations decreased (p0.05) after exercise, with a mean (SD) nadir of 13.9% (4.1%) observed at 70 min after exercise. There were increases in the size of the rapidly exchangeable plasma zinc pool (Qa; from 3.1 (0.2) to 3.6 (0.2) mg; p0.05) and the liver zinc pool (Qb; from 10.2 (0.6) to 11.4 (0.8) mg; p = 0.12).Exercise seems to cause a shift of plasma zinc into the interstitial fluid and liver after exercise, which may reflect the acute stress response of strenuous exercise.

A middle-aged woman with neutropenia and ataxia was found to have raised plasma zinc and profoundly low plasma copper concentrations. When found that she had been prescribed 135 mg zinc/day for seven years, a diagnosis of zinc-induced copper deficiency was made. After the zinc prescription was stopped, her copper and zinc concentrations and neutropenia normalized but she only had partial improvement in neurological status. The diagnosis of zinc-induced copper deficiency can be facilitated by the laboratory through measurement of plasma zinc concentration in patients with a low plasma copper concentration.

Obesity is associated with chronic low-grade systemic inflammation which is characterized by increased levels of circulating pro-inflammatory and cardiometabolic risk markers. Studies have reported...

Critically ill children have low plasma zinc (pZn), correlating with organ failure. Since Zn influences inflammation, immune function, and glucose control, Zn supplementation is a plausible therapeutic modality. We sought to determine a safe dose of intravenous (IV) Zn to restore pZn in critically ill children.Stepwise dose escalation study of IV Zn supplementation at a tertiary children's hospital. All children (10 years) admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit with a Pediatric Risk of Mortality III score5, or ≥1 new organ failure were eligible. After consent, patients were sequentially enrolled into 4 dosing groups: (1) no zinc, (2) Zn250: 250 mcg/kg/d ZnSO4, (3) Zn500: 500 mcg/kg/d ZnSO4, or (4) Zn750: 750 mcg/kg/d ZnSO4 ZnSO4 was administered 3 times daily for 7 days. pZn was measured at baseline, end of first ZnSO4 infusion, 1 hour postinfusion, and 7 hours postinfusion on day 1, then daily through days 2-7. Interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP), and lymphocyte subsets were measured on days 1 and 3. Glucose was measured 3 times daily for 7 days.Twenty-four patients were enrolled. Baseline demographics were similar among groups. Baseline pZn was low in all patients (mean [SD], 41.8 [16.0] mcg/dL). pZn increased over the study period in supplemented groups; however, mean pZn in the Zn750 group exceeded the 50th percentile. pZn was not associated with IL-6, CRP, or lymphocyte subsets among groups. Degree of hyperglycemia did not differ among groups. No patient had a study-related adverse event.IV zinc supplementation at 500 mcg/kg/d restores pZn to near the 50th percentile and is well tolerated.

The study was a comparative evaluation of plasma levels of selenium and zinc trace elements amongst HIV-positive and HIV-negative apparently healthy, individuals. The comparative cross sectional study comprised two groups of forty HIV positive and HIV negative subjects respectively who were gotten by consecutive clinic recruitment and random sampling respectively. A structured questionnaire was used to retrieve the sociodemographic data after obtaining informed consent from willing participants. Blood samples were collected aseptically into ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) vacutainer bottles and later analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS). Data analyses were carried out using data analysis software EpiInfo 7 and Microsoft Word Excel 2007. Results were presented as mean ± standard deviation and the student t- test was used to compare means with significance set at P≤0.05. Findings included, instructively, a mean plasma selenium (μg/dl) of 0.0052 ± 0.0024 and 0.0223 ± 0.0054 among HIV negative and positive subjects respectively (p

Zinc deficiency has serious wide-ranging health consequences and is thought to be one of the most prevalent micronutrient deficiencies in the world. However, reliable indicators or biomarkers to assess zinc status are not available at present. Indirect indicators such as the prevalence of stunting or anemia, iron deficiency, as well as more direct indicators such as plasma zinc concentrations are being used at present to estimate the prevalence of zinc deficiency in populations. However, as this paper shows by using data from a recent national micronutrient survey in Vietnam, the estimates of the prevalence of zinc deficiency using these different indicators can vary widely, leading to inconsistencies. In this paper, zinc deficiency among children is four times more prevalent than iron deficiency and 2.3 times more than stunting prevalence for example. This can lead not only to confusion concerning the real extent of the prevalence of zinc deficiency in populations, but also makes it hard to inform policy on whether action is needed or not. Moreover, evaluation of programs is hampered by the lack of a clear indicator. Efforts should be made to identify the most suitable indicator to evaluate the impact of programs aimed at improving zinc status and health of populations.

The present study aims to examine how zinc and testosterone supplementation, in combination and separately, affect plasma LH, FSH and leptin levels in castrated rats. Eighty experimental animals used in the study were allocated to 8 groups, each containing an equal number of rats. Group 1, control group; Group 2, castration group; Group 3, testosterone group (5 mg/kg/day); Group 4, zinc-supplemented group (3 mg/kg/day); Group 5, testosterone and zinc-supplemented group; Group 6, zinc-supplemented castration group; Group 7, testosterone and castration group; and Group 8, zinc-supplemented, testosterone and castration group. Plasma zinc, leptin, LH, FSH and free and total testosterone levels were determined in the blood samples collected from the animals by decapitation. Group 2 had the highest leptin levels and together with group 6, it also showed the highest LH and FSH levels (p

Epidemiological data suggest at least one in five humans are at risk of zinc deficiency. This is in large part because the phytate in cereals and legumes has not been removed during food preparation. Phytate, a potent indigestible ligand for zinc prevents it's absorption. Without knowledge of the frequency of consumption of foods rich in phytate, and foods rich in bioavailable zinc, the recognition of zinc deficiency early in the illness may be difficult. Plasma zinc is insensitive to early zinc deficiency. Serum ferritin concentration≤20μg/L is a potential indirect biomarker. Early effects of zinc deficiency are chemical, functional and may be "hidden". The clinical problem is illustrated by 2 studies that involved US Mexican-American children, and US premenopausal women. The children were consuming home diets that included traditional foods high in phytate. The premenopausal women were not eating red meat on a regular basis, and their consumption of phytate was mainly from bran breakfast cereals. In both studies the presence of zinc deficiency was proven by functional responses to controlled zinc treatment. In the children lean-mass, reasoning, and immunity were significantly affected. In the women memory, reasoning, and eye-hand coordination were significantly affected. A screening self-administered food frequency questionnaire for office might help caregiver's identify patients at risk of zinc deficiency.

Zinc is an essential micronutrient and its deficiency relates to many diseases like diabetes mellitus. Although zinc deficiency has become prevalent in many countries, this subject has not yet been studied in Taiwan. The present study was designed to investigate whether healthy elderly Taiwanese have reduced circulating zinc concentrations. Forty-three men and ninety women whose ages were >60 yr were recruited. Moreover, 31 middle-aged (30-40 yr) adults were also included in this study. The results showed that most of the elderly adults had normal plasma zinc values and suggested that they should not have any zinc deficiency. However, we also found that the middle-aged adults had relative hypozincemia, which might deserve further study.