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Related Experiment Videos

Zinc deficiency in elderly patients

A S Prasad1, J T Fitzgerald, J W Hess

  • 1Department of Internal Medicine, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI.

Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.)
|May 1, 1993
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

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Mild zinc deficiency is common in the elderly, impacting immunity and health. Supplementation can correct these deficiencies, improving immune response and taste acuity in older adults.

Area of Science:

  • Gerontology
  • Nutritional Immunology
  • Human Nutrition

Background:

  • Zinc is vital for immune function, growth, and neurosensory processes.
  • Reduced zinc intake is common in the elderly, but its impact on immunity is not well-established.
  • This study investigates zinc status and its effects on cell-mediated immunity in healthy elderly individuals.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess zinc status and its association with cell-mediated immunity in elderly Americans.
  • To determine the effects of zinc deficiency on immune responses, skin-test reactivity, and taste acuity.
  • To evaluate the efficacy of zinc supplementation in correcting deficiencies and improving health outcomes in the elderly.

Main Methods:

  • Assessed nutritional and zinc status in 180 healthy elderly subjects.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Measured plasma zinc, granulocyte/lymphocyte zinc, plasma copper, and interleukin-1 (IL-1) production.
  • Evaluated immune response via skin-test antigen panels and assessed taste acuity.

    • Main Results:

    • Elderly subjects had lower dietary zinc intake (9.06 mg/day) than recommended (15 mg/day).
    • While plasma zinc was normal, granulocyte and lymphocyte zinc levels were decreased; 36% of subjects showed deficient levels.
    • Zinc supplementation normalized plasma copper, increased IL-1 production, and improved immune responses and taste acuity.

    Conclusions:

    • Mild zinc deficiency is a significant clinical issue in free-living elderly individuals.
    • Zinc deficiency negatively affects cell-mediated immunity, immune response, and taste.
    • Zinc supplementation can effectively correct deficiency, normalize copper levels, and enhance immune function and sensory perception in the elderly.