Correction of cellular zinc depletion by oral zinc supplementation in elderly subjects.
Immune function declines with age, and has been implicated in the increased incidence of cancer and infections in the elderly. In this hospital, many elderly patients have evidence of zinc depletion. In the present study, we supplemented those elderly patients who had depressed polymorphonuclear cell (PMNC) zinc levels with 135 mg oral zinc sulphate for 4 weeks. Plasma and PMNC zinc increased markedly but the percentage of peripheral blood T-lymphocytes expressing the surface markers CD3, CD4 and CD8 were unchanged. Plasma concentrations of vitamins A and E also remained constant. This study confirms the 25-30% incidence of cellular zinc depletion in this patient population, and demonstrates that zinc concentrations can be brought back to within normal limits by oral zinc supplements, but with no effect on T-cell phenotypes.
Goode
H F
HF
Department of Medicine, St. James's University Hospital, Leeds, LS9 7TF; UK.
Naylor
J R
JR
Walker
B E
BE