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Updated: Sep 22, 2025
Atomic Absorbance Spectroscopy to Measure Intracellular Zinc Pools in Mammalian Cells
Published on: May 16, 2019
Influence of physical training on intracellular and extracellular zinc concentrations
Víctor Toro-Román1, Jesús Siquier-Coll2, Ignacio Bartolomé1
1Faculty of Sport Sciences Faculty, University of Extremadura, Avenida de la Universidad s/n, Cáceres, Spain.
Background:
Physical exercise affects zinc (Zn) homeostasis. This study aimed to analyze the influence of physical training on extracellular (serum, plasma, and urine) and intracellular (erythrocytes and platelets) concentrations of Zn.
Methods:
Forty young men, divided into a training group (TG; n = 20; 18.15 ± 0.27 years; 68.59 ± 4.18 kg; 1.76 ± 0.04 m) and a control group (CG; n = 20; 19.25 ± 0.39 years; 73.45 ± 9.04 kg; 1.79 ± 0.06 m), participated in this study. The TG was formed by semiprofessional soccer players from a youth category with a regular training plan of 10 h/week. The CG was formed by healthy men who did not practice physical exercise and had not followed any specific training plan. Plasma, serum, urine, erythrocyte, and platelet samples of Zn were obtained and analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.
Results:
The TG showed elevated plasma Zn concentrations (p < 0.01) despite similar intakes. However, TG showed reduced absolute (p < 0.01) and relative (p < 0.05) Zn concentrations in erythrocytes.
Conclusions:
Athletes who underwent regular physical training showed elevated plasma and reduced erythrocyte Zn concentrations despite similar intakes to the CG.
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