Malnutrition zinc supplements

Golden, M.H.E. and Golden, B.E. (1981b). Effect of zinc supplementation on the dietary intake, rate of weight gain and energy cost of tissue deposition in children recovering from severe malnutrition. Amer. J. Clin. Nutr., 34, 900. 

Among humans, zinc supplementation of children with protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) was reported not to alter the response in vitamin A and RBP levels immediately following admission to a hospital, but was necessary to sustain higher plasma levels throughout the recovery period. Studies in children with cystic fibrosis and in normal adult humans with moderately depressed or adequate serum zinc levels failed to demonstrate a plasma retinol response to zinc supplementation (Palin et aL, 1979 Garry and Visconti, 1980). 

Whether these changes are primary or secondary to other factors such as oxidative stress, poor nutrition (i.e., protein and/or micronutrient malnutrition) is currently unknown. Importantly, similar deficiencies have been significantly improved by antioxidant supplementation in the elderly (K13). In this regard, zinc deficiency is also common in the elderly and has been reported in DS patients. This topic is more fully discussed later. 

The deficiency results from general malnutrition (lack of meat), as well as from the wheat-based diet. The symptoms include lack of sexual maturation and small stature. Supplementation of affected young adults with zinc provokes the growth... 

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