Abstract

This study was intended to examine the zinc status and effect of zinc supplementation on the zinc nutritional status of the elderly living in the Ulsan area. The zinc intake of 207 subjects(male 97, female 110) was measured by a 24-hour dietary recall and food frequency method. Biochemical analysis were conducted from blood and urine samples to evaluate the changes of zinc nutriture with zinc supplementation. The average dietary zinc intake of subjects was 7.7+/-2.8 mg for male and 7.5+/-2.6 mg for female, which were 51.3% and 62.3% of Korean RDA respectively. The first source of zinc was cereal and grain(36%), and the second was eggs and milk group(27%). After 8 weeks of zinc supplementation, the serum zinc content was significantly increased(p<0.01), although the serum copper content was not significantly decrease. Serum HDL-cholesterol level was not significantly decreased with zinc supplementation. Serum alkaline phosphatase(ALP) activity and urinary zinc excretion were significantly increased(p<0.05). The urinary Zn/Cr was not significantly increased. It is suggested from the results that the daily zinc supplementation can be effective to improve zinc nutriture.

• Keywords: elderly; zinc; nutriture; dietary zinc; zinc supplementation