Plasma extracellular superoxide dismutase activity in healthy pregnant women is not influenced by zinc supplementation.
We hypothesized that plasma extracellular superoxide dismutase (EC-SOD) activity reflects the zinc nutriture of healthy pregnant women. Sixty-three women were selected from 580 African-American women who participated in a clinical trial to evaluate the effect of prenatal zinc supplementation on pregnancy outcome. Half of the women received zinc (25 mg/d) and the other half was given a placebo from about 19 wk gestation to delivery. In the trial, a positive effect of zinc supplementation on birthweight was observed, indicating that the population as a whole had suboptimal zinc nutriture. Using plasma samples obtained during the trial, EC-SOD activities were measured and the values were compared with plasma zinc concentrations and plasma alkaline phosphatase activities. Plasma EC-SOD activities in our subjects were lower than previously published values for healthy adults in Korea. Although plasma EC-SOD activity may reflect severe zinc deficiency, it is not a sensitive marker for marginal deficiency status. Plasma EC-SOD activities did not prove to be a better indicator of zinc nutriture of pregnant women than either plasma zinc or plasma alkaline phosphatase activities.
Tamura
T
T
Departments of Nutrition Sciences, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 35294, USA.
Olin
K L
KL
Goldenberg
R L
RL
Johnston
K E
KE
Dubard
M B
MB
Keen
C L
CL
D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D003300:Copper / Q000097:blood; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005110:Extracellular Space / Q000201:enzymology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000097:blood*; D015032:Zinc / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood
D018977:Micronutrients; D003300:Copper; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D015032:Zinc