Interindividual Variation in Circulating Zinc Concentrations Among Healthy Adult Men and Women

Abstract

Circulating zinc concentrations were measured in 73 healthy adult males and females 19-52 years of age who were volunteers for eight different metabolic studies at the University of California, Berkeley. The interindividual variation in the eight studies varied from 5 to 20%; the global coefficient of variation for all studies was 12 +/- 7% (mean +/- SD). The analysis of a reference plasma sample on six different days showed a mean coefficient of variation of 3.8%. Thus, only a small portion of the intraindividual variation is due to day-to-day analytical differences. There was no relationship between circulating zinc concentrations and age, height, or body mass index. Nor were there any significant differences due to gender. Information regarding dietary zinc and protein intakes was available from three-day weighed food intake records from 44 of the subjects. Plasma zinc concentrations were unrelated to the intake of either zinc or protein in those subjects. The results of this study show that the impact of age, gender, body size and dietary zinc or protein on circulating zinc concentrations are too small to be detected in the presence of the analytical and endogenous factors that influence plasma/serum zinc concentrations. Also, within a population of healthy adults, circulating zinc concentrations may vary by as much as 15%.

Determinants of serum zinc concentrations in a population of French middle-age subjects (SU.VI.MAX cohort)

“…It has also been suggested that differences in BMI could explain the lower serum zinc concentrations in women than in men. Although BMI was higher in men than in women, our results did not evidence any differences in serum zinc concentration according to BMI in agreement with some previous reports (Hashim et al, 1996;Benes et al, 2005;Song et al, 2007). Our results highlighted smoking and education as other significant determinants of serum zinc levels only in women.…”

“…Third, the interpretation of the association between serum zinc concentrations and the studied factors remains complex as serum zinc is sensitive to a variety of factors that have not been determined in SU.VI.MAX. However, serum zinc concentrations do not seem closely related to diet, which confirms the limited efficacy of this indicator for the evaluation of zinc status and that serum zinc concentrations are highly regulated in general population as previously reported in the United States (Giles et al, 1994;Hashim et al, 1996). We reported significant differences between men and women suggesting that serum zinc concentrations in women are more sensitive to smoking and education-related modifications than in men.…”

“…In contrast, the numerous studies performed on a limited number of participants conducted to discrepant conclusions. As serum zinc inter-individual variability is higher than 15% (Giles et al, 1994;Hashim et al, 1996;Ricos et al, 1999), these studies must be interpreted with caution. In this work, the large SU.VI.MAX cohort, which is a general French population not selected on specific risk factors (Hercberg et al, 2004), should permit a better analysis.…”

Zinc and Copper Serum Levels of Morbidly Obese Patients Before and After Biliopancreatic Diversion: 4 Years of Follow-up

“…12,13 However, serum zinc concentrations varied in different studies of morbid obese patients and in some of them serum concentrations did not correlate with weight before surgery. [14][15][16] Ours results agree with previous studies showing a decrease in serum zinc and copper concentrations postsurgery. Deficiencies of zinc and copper are common after BPD.…”

Seasonal variations of antioxidant imbalance in Cuban healthy men

“…Furthermore, no correlation between dietary intakes and serum concentrations of Cu or Zn were found in the United States (Patterson et al, 1984) in contrast with the correlation between copper intakes and serum concentrations found in January and February 1996. The relation between zinc intakes and serum concentrations depended on season and adjustment, suggesting the determining role of factors, ie smoking, energy, protein and alcohol intakes on serum zinc concentrations (Kant et al, 1989;Hashim et al, 1996). The plasma luteinazeaxanthin concentrations were relatively high compared to those reported in developed countries (Ascherio et al, 1992;Olmedilla et al, 1994;Pamuch et al, 1994;Scott et al, 1996;Van de Vijver et al, 1997), whereas the plasma concentrations of a-tocopherol, a-and b-carotenes, b-cryptoxanthin and lycopene were in the lower range of previous studies whatever the period (Herbeth et al, 1992;Ascherio et al, 1992;Olmedilla et al, 1994;Scott et al, 1996).…”