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Zinc deficiency, chronic starvation, and hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid function

J E Morley, J Gordon, J M Hershman

    The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
    |August 1, 1980
    PubMed
    Summary

    Zinc deficiency significantly impacts the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis, lowering thyroid hormones like triiodothyronine (T3). This effect is more pronounced than from caloric restriction alone, suggesting impaired T3 production.

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    Area of Science:

    • Endocrinology
    • Nutritional Science
    • Physiology

    Background:

    • The hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis regulates metabolism and growth.
    • Zinc is an essential mineral crucial for numerous biological functions.
    • Nutritional deficiencies can disrupt endocrine function.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the impact of zinc deficiency on the HPT axis in male Sprague-Dawley rats.
    • To differentiate the effects of zinc deficiency from general caloric restriction on thyroid hormones.

    Main Methods:

    • Male Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to three groups: zinc-deficient diet, pair-fed (caloric restriction), and ad libitum fed controls.
    • Growth velocity, serum triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine levels, hypothalamic thyrotrophin-releasing hormone (TRH) content, and thyroidal iodine uptake were measured.

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    Main Results:

    • Zinc-deficient and pair-fed rats exhibited reduced growth velocity compared to ad libitum controls.
    • Both zinc-deficient and pair-fed groups showed lower T3 and thyroxine levels than controls.
    • Zinc-deficient rats had significantly lower T3 than pair-fed controls and reduced hypothalamic TRH content compared to ad libitum controls.

    Conclusions:

    • Zinc deficiency more severely impacts T3 levels than equivalent caloric restriction.
    • The findings suggest that zinc deficiency may impair extrathyroidal conversion of thyroxine to T3.
    • Zinc plays a critical role in maintaining normal thyroid hormone homeostasis.