Metabolic interactions between zinc and essential fatty acids in the mammalian organism.

Zinc and essential fatty acid deficiencies manifest similar syndromes provoking investigations into the mechanisms underlying their metabolic interactions. This article presents a lucid and concise review of literature on the possible connection between these important dietary nutrients as exemplified by the role of zinc in modulating intestinal lipid transport and prostaglandins metabolisms as well as maintenance of membrane structural and functional integrity. Reports of investigations on zinc and essential fatty acid deficiencies, regarding their pleitropic effects on clinically important enzymes, from the laboratory of the authors were also considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]