• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.32 no.3
• /
• pp.277-286
• /
• 1999

This study was conducted to assess dietary intake and nutritional status of zinc and copper in Korean college women. Dietary survey was conducted by 24-hour recall method and fasting serum samples were collected from 111 apparently healthy subjects. Intake levels of zinc and copper were calculated using newly developed database for Zn & Cu of Korea food. Serum levels of Zn, Cu and activities of ALP, EC-SOD were measured from fasting serum sample. Mean daily zinc and copper intakes were 6.72mg/day(56.0% RDA) and 1.11mg/day respectively. Mean values of serum ALP activity, zinc and copper concentration were 43.9U/L, 14.8umol/1, 15.5umol/1and these values were mostly within normal range. EC-SOD activitis of the subjects were low and had no correlation with intake or serum levels of Zn, Cu. In conclusion, these results show that zinc and copper intake of Koran college women are lower than those from other counties but higher than those of adults in rural area of Korea. Their serum levels of Zn, Cu, ALP are relatively normal. These results indicate that marginal deficiency of Zn and Cu may be quite prevalent in these subjects but serum indicators measured may not be sensitive enough to detect such marginal deficiency. Further study in needed to develop a biochemical index sensitive enough to evaluate Zn and Cu status.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
• /
• v.5 no.1
• /
• pp.40-45
• /
• 2011

Hemoglobin and zinc protoporphyrin (ZPP) tests are commonly used to screen for iron deficiency, but little research has been done to systematically evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of these two tests. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of zinc protoporphyrin/heme (ZPP/H) ratio as a point-of-service screening test for iron deficiency among preschool-aged children by comparing the sensitivity and specificity of hemoglobin, ZPP/H ratio, and serum ferritin (SF). Also completed were assessments for the prevalence of anemia, iron deficiency (ID), and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) with indicators of ferritin models. This study was carried out with 95 children ages 3 to 6 y. Anthropometric measurements were assessed and blood samples were analyzed for hemoglobin, SF, transferrin saturation (TS), and ZPP. Anemia was common and the prevalences of anemia, ID, and IDA were 14.7%, 12.6%, and 5.2%, respectively. The ZPP/H ratio was strongly and significantly correlated with hemoglobin. And ZPP/H ratio was a more sensitive test for ID than hemoglobin or SF measurement, correctly identifying more than twice as many iron-deficient children (sensitivity of 91.7%, compared to 41.7% for hemoglobin and SF). However, ZPP/H ratio had lower specificity (60.2%, compared to 89.1% for hemoglobin or 96.4% for SF) and resulted in the false identification of more subjects who actually were not iron deficient than did hemoglobin or SF. Low hemoglobin concentration is a late-stage indicator of ID, but ZPP/H ratio can detect ID at early stages and can be performed easily at a relatively low cost. Therefore, ZPP/H ratio can serve as a potential screening test for pre-anemic iron deficiency in community pediatric practices.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.92-97
• /
• 2013

The calcification of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) is considered one of the major contributors for vascular disease. Phosphate is known as the inducer for VSMC calcification. In this study, we assessed whether phosphate affected cell viability and fetuin-A, a calcification inhibitor protein, both which are related to VSMC calcification. Also, VSMC viability by zinc level was assessed. The results showed that phosphate increased Ca and P deposition in VSMCs (A7r5 cell line, rat aorta origin). This phosphate-induced Ca and P deposition was consistent with the decreased A7r5 cell viability (P<0.05), which implies phosphate-induced calcification in A7r5 cells might be due to the decreased VSMC cell viability. As phosphate increased, the protein expression of fetuin-A protein was up-regulated. A7r5 cell viability decreased as the addition of cellular zinc level was decreased (P<0.05). The results suggested that zinc deficiency causes the decreased cell viability and it would be the future study to clarify how zinc does act for VSMC cell viability. The results suggest that the decreased VSMC viability by high P or low Zn in VSMCs may be the risk factor for vascular disease.

• Journal of Photoscience
• /
• v.2 no.2
• /
• pp.63-67
• /
• 1995

Zinc plays a key role in genetic expression, cell division, and growth and is essential for the function of more than 200 enzymes; effects of zinc deficiency induce many syndromes, including abnormal visual adaptation. The pigment epithelium (EP) contains high concentrations of zinc in humans and in animals and it participates in threshold elevation, visual sensitivity increment, and acceleration of rhodopsin regeration during visual adaptation. The origin of c-wave of electroretinogram(ERG) is not only pigment epithelium as shown in present research, but also other cell layers, perhaps the photoreceptors. We propose zinc as a candidate for an internal messenger which participates in signal amplification.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.38 no.1
• /
• pp.56-66
• /
• 2005

The purpose of this study was to assess the zinc and copper status of type 2 diabetic women and to analyse the relation-ship among zinc and copper status, and diabetic control indices of diabetes. The mean age of diabetes was 57.9 years old. The mean duration of diabetes was 8.0 $\pm$ 6.5 years. The mean daily energy intake of diabetes was 1562 kcal. There were no significant differences of age, BMI, %body fat, nutritional intakes, total energy intake, and energy composition from carbohydrate, protein, and fat between diabetes (n = 50) and control group (n = 68). However, both zinc intake density (4.15 mg/1000 kcal) and zinc %RDA (62.0%) of diabetes were significantly lower than control group (p <0.05, P < 0.01, respectively). The plasma zinc level was not significantly different between diabetes and control group (90$\mu$g/dl, 91$\mu$g/dl respectively). The proportion of diabetic women whose plasma zinc levels were lower than 76 $\mu$g/dl(borderline zinc deficiency) was 18.8%. This was about 38% higher than control group. It has been suggested that insulin secretion might decrease in borderline plasma zinc and copper deficiency and increase in normal plasma zinc and copper status. The urinary zinc excretion was twice higher in diabetes than in control group (p < 0.001). The urinary zinc loss was positively correlated with the duration of diabetes (p < 0.05), hyperglycemia (p < 0.001) and insulin resistance (p < 0.05). These results lead us to conclude that normal blood glucose level controlled by diet therapy could improve the hyperzincuria in diabetic women.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.41 no.4
• /
• pp.291-298
• /
• 2008

To study antioxidant role of zinc, the effects of dietary zinc deficiency and vitamin E supplementation on lipid peroxidation were studied. Levels of zinc and vitamin E in blood and liver were also measured. Forty Sprague-Dawley male rats aging 8 weeks old were used as experimental animals. Zinc deficient diet (Zn, 0 ppm), zinc normal diet (Zn,36.5 ppm), and vitamin E supplemented diet (1,000 IU ${\alpha}$-tocopherol/kg of diet) were used as experimental diet. During the first three weeks, rats were divided into zinc normal (ZnN, 8 animals) and zinc deficient (ZnD, 32 animals) group. Eight rats from each group were sacrificed to get blood and liver after 3 weeks of experiment. The remaining 24 zinc deficient rat were then divided into zinc normal (ZnDN), zinc deficient (ZnDD), vitamin E supplemented (ZnDE) diet groups. After another 3 weeks of experiment, all animals were sacrificed as well. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substanc (TBARS) levels in plasma and liver, conjugated diene levels in liver were measured as lipid peroxidation index. There were no significant differences in food intake, body weight gain, and food efficiency ratio among groups. Weights of liver per 100 g body weight were not significantly different. There were no significant differences in Zn levels in serum. Plasma and liver TBARS level, and liver conjugated diene level were significantly lower in ZnDE than in ZnDN or ZnDD, and significantly higher in ZnDD than in ZnDN. Therefore, it seems that lipid peroxidation is accelerated by dietary zinc deficiency and recovered partly by vitamin E supplementation.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
• /
• v.2 no.2
• /
• pp.74-79
• /
• 2008

Zinc plays a protective role in anti-atherosclerosis but the clear mechanism has not been proposed yet. In the present study, we evaluated whether zinc modulates atherosclerotic markers, VACM-1 and ICAM-1 and cell viability both in endothelial cells in vitro and mouse aortic cell viability ex vivo. In study 1, as in vitro model, endothelial EA.hy926 cells were treated with $TNF{\alpha}$ for 5 hours for inducing oxidative stress, and then treated with Zn-adequacy ($15\;{\mu}M$ Zn) or Zn-deficiency ($0\;{\mu}M$ Zn) for 6 hours. Pro-atherosclerosis factors, VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 mRNA expression and cell viability was measured. In study 2, as ex vivo model, mouse aorta ring was used. Mourse aorta was removed and cut in ring then, cultured in a 96-well plate. Aortic ring was treated with various $TNF{\alpha}$ (0-30 mg/ml) and intracellular zinc chelator, N, N, N', N', -tetrakis (2-pyridylmethyl) ethylenediamine (TPEN, $0-30\;{\mu}M$) for cellular zinc depletion for 2 days and then cell viability was measured. The results showed that in in vitro study, Zn-adequate group induced more VCAM-1 & ICAM-1 mRNA expression than Zn-deficient group during 6-hour zinc treatment post-5 hour TNF-$\alpha$ treatment, unexpectedly. These results might be cautiously interpreted that zinc would biologically induce the early expression of anti-oxidative stress through the increased adhesion molecule expression for reducing atherosclerotic action, particularly under the present 6-hour zinc treatment. In ex vivo, mouse aortic ring cell viability was decreased as TNF-$\alpha$ and TPEN levels increased, which suggests that mouse aortic blood vessel cell viability was decreased, when oxidative stress increases and cellular zinc level decreases. Taken together, it can be suggested that zinc may have a protective role in anti-atherosclerosis by cell viability in endothelial cells and aorta tissue. Further study is needed to clarify how pro-atherosclerosis molecule expression is modulated by zinc.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.346-353
• /
• 1995

The dietary requirement for zinc to maintain optimally the various metabolic and physiological funcitons is still under study. Human beings adapt to reductions in zinc intake by reducing the rate of growth or zinc excretion. Reductions in dietary zinc beyond the capacity to maintain homeostasis lead to utilization of zinc from an exchangeable pool. Loss of a small, critical amount of zinc from this pool leads to both biochemical and clinical signs of zinc deficiency. Zinc requirements have been assessed by balance studies and factorial method. As tissue zinc status influences endogenous losses and the dietary needs, individuls in good status may require higher amounts of zinc than those in poor status. While plasma zinc is insensitive to reducitons in dietary zinc, it is regarded as a valid, useful indicator of the exchangeable pool of zinc. Plasma metallothionein concentrations may prove useful for identifying poor zinc status. It has been suggested that functional end point measurement is the new direciton for zinc requirement. However, determination of the functional response to a marginal zinc intake is difficult because of the lack of a specific, sensitive indicator of zinc status. Presently, no good method for assessment of human zinc requirements exists.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.23 no.4
• /
• pp.574-580
• /
• 1994

The effect of dietary zinc(Zn) levels on cadmium (Cd)-induced hepatotoxicity was studied in serum and liver of rats. Adult male Spraque-Dawley rats were fed on diets containing one of three levels of zinc carbonate(0, 56, $560\mu\textrm{g}/kg$ diet) and Cd-treated groups were administrated oral intubation with cadmium chloride 95.0 mg/kg of body weight) at the sametime once a week. Net weight gain (NWG), feed intake (FI) and feed effciiency ratio (FER) in Zn deficiency groups significantly decreased as compared to that of control and excessive groups. Cd oral intubation caused a decrease in NWG and FI but an increase in Zn deficiency group in FER. GSH-Px, GST and catalase activity showed significant decrease in Zn deficiency and Zn excessive group. LPO content in liver significantly increased in Zn deficiency group. Cd oral intubation increased the content of LPO in Zn deficiency group as compared to control. GSH content and GST activity of hepatic tissue significantly decreased in Zn deficiency and excessive group. The activity of AST and ALT in serum were markedly increased in Zn deficiency, Zn excessive and Cd-treated groups. LDH and ALP activities significantly increased in Cd-treated group while ALP activity decreased by Zn deficiency. It was observed that the livers of rats exposed to Cd and Zn excessive group showed a marked increase of hepatic enzyme as compare to only Cd-treated in rats.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
• /
• v.4 no.2
• /
• pp.25-56
• /
• 2000

Trace element are involved in enzymatic activities, immunological reactions. physiological mechanisms. Deficiency in some trace elements, such as iron and iodine. is still an important health problem, The role of trace elements deficiency is suspected in various clinical situations and is now confirmed by well designed supplementation studies. However, the importance of trace elements as chinese herbal constituents is not sufficiently appreciated by the oriental medical profession, although in recent years a significant increase of new finding on their essential character in chinese herbal medicine occurred. It is well known that herbal medicine contains a variety of trace elements which would show therapeutic effects with active components in herbal medicine . In china, recent work showed some positive correlation between trace element and traditional chinese medicine (TCM) in terms of therapeutic effects even if their role in therapeutic effects is still obscure. In korea, not much attention has been on the therapeutic importance of trace element contained in herbal medicine Here, the therapeutic effects of trace element in TCM were reviewed and summarized. 1. Iron, copper, zinc and manganese are mainly contained in TCM. In addtion, chromium, magnesium, molybdenum, nickel, alminium, cobalt, arsenic and selenium has been studied for their therapeutic effects 2. Zinc, is decreased in patients who have deficiency of kindney(腎虛) and chronic disease. Fe is decreased in patients who have deficiency of blood(血虛). However copper is increased in patients who have chronic disease and hepatic disease.3 Iron concentration is high in herbs used for tonifying and nourishing yin or blood(補陰補血藥) Zinc concentration is high also in herb used for tonifying kidiney and vital essence(補腎補精藥). In addition. copper concentration Is high in herb used for replenishing qi(補氣藥) 4 In herbal drugs, the therapeutic substances in TCM are not only organic but also inorganic. It seems that trace elements would be one of components in herb for its therapeutic effects. This indicates that therapeutic effects of TCM should be extended not only to herb itself, bur also to trace elements contained in herb.