Plasma zinc response to supplementation in apparently healthy women from rural Sidama in southern Ethiopia

Abstract

This placebo‐controlled trial in apparently healthy, reproductive age women evaluated effects of supplementation of 20 mg Zn as zinc sulfate for 23 days on plasma zinc concentrations. The study was conducted in June/July, 2012. Participants were randomly selected from the list of non‐pregnant, non‐lactating women residing in the village. Additional exclusion criteria were body mass index (BMI) outside of the 18.5 to 24.9 range and selfreported recent illness. Thirty‐five women were included for this analysis. Demographic as well as household dietary diversity data were collected. Anthropometric measurements were taken, women were randomized to placebo or treatment groups and blood samples were collected by venipuncture at baseline, midpoint and the end of the 23‐day supplementation period. Plasma zinc was measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS). Mean ± SD age of participants was 32.7 ± 5 and family size was 6.8 ± 2.7. Education of the participants ranged from 0 to 6 yr of school. Household dietary diversity score was 4.5. None of the participants reported consuming meat, fish or egg in the 24 hr prior to the survey. The mean plasma zinc concentration at base line was 651 ± 80 μg/L for the zinc group and 721 ± 86 μg/L for the placebo group. At endpoint plasma zinc for placebo (713 ± 112 μg/L) did not change significantly from baseline. However, in the zinc‐supplemented group, plasma zinc at 735 ± 84 μg/L was significantly higher than baseline (p<0.002). [This study was supported by the Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station].