title: Serum zinc in highly trained adolescent gymnasts.
abstract: Serum zinc was measured in 20 adolescent gymnasts (9 boys, 11 girls, age 12-15 yr) explored for detecting possible adverse effects of intense training on pubertal maturation and growth. They had low serum zinc (0.599 +/- 0.026 mg/L) when compared to matched control sedentary children (n = 118 mean 0.81 +/- 0.014 p < 0.001). Girls had lower zinc than boys (0.557 +/- 0.023 vs 0.651 +/- 0.044 p < 0.001). Zinc was correlated to isometric adductor strength (r = 0.468 p < 0.05). Children with serum zinc < 0.6 mg/L had lower insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 than others (2.326 +/- 0.264 vs 2.699 +/- 0.12 p < 0.01). Thus, zinc is lowered in trained adolescent gymnasts and even lower in females. This reduction could play some role in abnormalities of puberty, growth, or muscular performance.
authors.affiliation: INSERM U103 (Biomechanics), Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Brun
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dieu-Cambrezy
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Charpiat
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fons
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fedou
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Micallef
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fussellier
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bardet
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Orsetti
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006128:Growth; D006173:Gymnastics; D006801:Humans; D007537:Isometric Contraction; D016018:Least-Squares Analysis; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D011627:Puberty; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D004958:Estradiol; D019314:Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate; D015032:Zinc