title: Zinc nutriture in the elderly.
abstract: Emerging national attention to problems of aging in the mid-to-late 1970s stimulated research to better define zinc status and requirements of the older population. The commercial exploitation of hair analysis as a way to diagnose trace element deficiencies is unfortunate. Although hair zinc levels have been useful in comparing zinc status of population groups, usefulness of this technique with respect to assessment of the individual is extremely limited.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D007109:Immunity; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D012903:Smell / Q000502:physiology; D013649:Taste / Q000502:physiology; D014785:Vision, Ocular / Q000502:physiology; D014945:Wound Healing; D015032:Zinc / Q000032:analysis / Q000172:deficiency / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D015032:Zinc