title: Factors affecting the bioavailability of zinc.
abstract: Host factors and dietary factors determine the absorption of zinc by an individual. There is evidence that the entrance of zinc into the body is regulated at the level of the intestinal mucosa by the adequacy of the host's zinc nutriture. Moreover, a variety of gastrointestinal diseases that interfere with the digestion of food, the secretion of zinc-binding ligand, or transmucosal absorption, per se, reduce the efficiency of zinc absorption. Zinc appears to be more available from breast milk than from cow's milk, and, in general, from foods of animal origin than from foods of plant origin. The task of nutrition researchers is to unravel further the mechanisms involved in normal absorption of dietary zinc in human beings and to pursue the identification of foods and to pursue the identification of foods andars to be more available from breast milk than from cow's milk, and, in general, from foods of animal origin than from foods of plant origin. The task of nutrition researchers is to unravel further the mechanisms involved in normal absorption of dietary zinc in human beings and to pursue the identification of foods and chemicals that enhance or inhibit zinc absorption.
mesh_terms: D000042:Absorption; D001682:Biological Availability; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D011247:Pregnancy; D015032:Zinc / Q000172:deficiency / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015032:Zinc