Effect of changes in short-term dietary zinc intake on ethanol metabolism and zinc status indices in young men

Abstract

Eleven men aged 28.1±5.0 y (mean±SD), who lived in a metabolic unit, participated in a controlled study of zinc (Zn) metabolism. It began with a 28 d equilibration period when dietary Zn was 10 mg/d, followed by dietary periods of 36 d each with 1, 2, 3, or 4 mg Zn/d presented in random order, and ended with a 36 d period when dietary Zn was 10 mg/d. Plasma Zn dropped to 4.0 μmol/L in one subject and was significantly lower for all subjects (11.2±2.8 μmol/L) during the 1 mg Zn/d dietary period than during the 10 mg Zn/d (13.6±0.9 μmol/L) period, P<0.0002. Serum alkaline phosphatase and testosterone followed a trend similar to that of Zn. Blood cell Zn was not significantly affected by dietary Zn. Apparent ethanol absorption, as evidenced by maximum serum ethanol concentration after a 0.5 g/k body weight dose and the time the maximum was reached, was not significantly (P>0.05) affected by dietary Zn. The rate of ethanol clearance from the blood, measured between 120 and 240 minutes, was significantly (P<0.03) affected by dietary Zn. The clearance rate (mmol/L/min) was greater during Zn repletion when 10 mg Zn/d was fed (0.046) than when 1 (0.040), 2 (0.036), 3 (0.041), or 4 (0.038) mg Zn/d were fed. Serum alcohol dehydrogenase activity was not significantly affected by dietary Zn at any of the measured time intervals. These data suggest that blood ethanol clearance is sensitive to short-term changes in dietary Zn intake.