Effects of a multivitamin mineral supplement on zinc and copper status during pregnancy

Abstract

The effect of a multivitamin-mineral supplement was investigated during pregnancy according to a double-blind protocol by determining zinc and copper in maternal plasma, mononuclear and polynuclear zinc and copper at the third, sixth, eighth, and ninth months of gestation. The subjects were supplemented from the first trimester until delivery. A significant decrease was observed in plasma zinc that varied from 11.5 mumol/L to 10.8 mumol/L in the supplemented group (n = 29) and from 11 mumol/L to 10 mumol/L in the placebo group (n = 33) at 3 and 9 mo of gestation, respectively. In contrast, plasma copper levels increased in a way depending upon the stage of gestation in both groups: from 24.7 to 28.2 mumol/L in the treated group and from 24.9 to 30.9 mumol/L in the placebo group at 3 and 9 mo of gestation, respectively, but the difference was only significant in the placebo group. No difference between groups was observed in mononuclear and polynuclear zinc or copper levels. These trace elements were also determined in cord blood at delivery. There were no statistically significant differences in zinc and copper concentration found in placebo group and supplemented group. Finally, the beneficial effect of supplementation on muscular cramps and appearance of vergetures was noted.

Adding zinc to prenatal iron and folate supplements improves maternal and neonatal zinc status in a Peruvian population

“…In other zinc supplementation studies in which women were supplemented with 15-30 mg elemental Zn/d (11)(12)(13)(14), the responsiveness of maternal plasma or serum zinc concentrations to zinc supplementation varied between 0.0 and 0.89 SD ( Table 5). Although slight, there was some evidence of a positive association between responsiveness and dosage in these studies; supplementation-associated shifts in plasma or serum zinc concentrations were 0-0.1, 0.16, 0.11-0.35, and 0.12-0.89 SD for daily supplements containing 15, 20, 25, and 30 mg Zn, respectively.…”

“…Only one other study (14) examined the effects of daily prenatal zinc supplementation on cord zinc concentrations as an indicator of neonatal zinc status. Thauvin et al (14) supplemented 48 women with 30 mg Zn/d (as zinc gluconate) or placebo and found a nonsignificant increase in cord plasma zinc concentrations on the order of 0.34 SD in infants born to mothers supplemented with zinc.…”

“…In 2 studies, zinc was incorporated directly into the prenatal supplements (12,14); of these studies, only one reported significant improvements in maternal serum zinc concentrations during pregnancy in zinc-supplemented women (14). The women in these studies (11)(12)(13)(14), however, had higher intakes of zinc and iron than would be true for most women in developing countries. Because maternal needs for both zinc and iron during pregnancy appear to influence zinc absorption and metabolism (15), the relevance of these findings for women in developing countries is not clear.…”

“…The results of the several zinc supplementation studies of pregnant women that have been conducted in developed countries have been mixed (11)(12)(13)(14). In 2 studies, zinc was incorporated directly into the prenatal supplements (12,14); of these studies, only one reported significant improvements in maternal serum zinc concentrations during pregnancy in zinc-supplemented women (14).…”

Relationship between moderate food restriction during pregnancy and Fe, Zn and Cu contents in maternal tissues and foetuses

“…(Cousins and Hempe, 1990). Stimulus such as stress and hormones such as glucocorticoids, catecholamin, glucagon, progesterone, etc, which stimulate hepatic metallothionein synthesis (Golden, 1989;Cousins and Hempe, 1990) (Thauvin et al, 1992;Arnaud et al, 1993;Hollan and Johansen, 1993;Wasowicz et al, 1993 (Malhotra et al, 1990 (Scholl et al, 1992), Zn (Gibson, 1994) and Cu (Hall and Howell, 1969;Keen et al, 1982 (Vaquero and Navarro, 1991) and the extra Zn supply from maternal muscle catabolism due to underfeeding (Masters et al, 1986), in addition to the amounts removed from liver, bone or other organs.…”