Zn deficiency in Mexican American

children: influence of zinc and

micronutrients on T cells, cytokines,
and anti-inflammatory plasma proteins

Sandstead, H. et al

Andre Smith
Background
Zinc required for the synthesis of a hormone called
thymulin
Thymulin enables maturation of T helper cells and is sensitive
to zinc deficiency
Zinc necessary for the catalytic activity of other
enzymes
Available zinc affects gene expression of inflammatory
cytokines
There is no specialized storage of zinc, so it necessary
to consume dietary zinc daily
Background
The worldwide prevalence of dietary zinc deficiency is
believed to be >20.5% (2008)
Prevalence in US children is unknown but evidence of
deficiency in Mexican American children was reported in
the 1970s
The Third National Health and Nutrition Examination
Survey reported that the median dietary zinc intake for
6-11y Mexican American boys was 9.27 mg and 8.07
mg for girls
The RDA for 4-8y is 5mg/d and 8mg/d for 9-13y
Population at risk due to decreased absorption of zinc
Hypothesis:
Mexican American children are at risk of zinc
deficiency. Supplementing with zinc and
other micronutrients will influence T cells,
cytokines, and anti-inflammatory plasma
proteins.
Methods
Substudy of 54 subjects that is part of a larger study
involving 359 Mexican American children 6-9y of age
from Brownsville, TX.
This study: 36 boys, 18 girls 6-7y
2 treatment groups: 20 mg zinc sulfate + micronutrients (ZM)
and micronutrients alone (M). Assigned in a double-blind
fashion
Teachers administered treatments with morning snacks
5d/wk for 10wk. Subjects were offered breakfast and
lunch 5d/wk that was prepared according to USDA
guidelines
Nutrient composition similar to treatments given to Chinese
Methods
Blood drawn for zinc and serum ferritin from consenting
subjects before and after treatment
1 cm hair specimens were collected from consenting
subjects
For other outcomes, blood was collected in the
afternoon before treatment and during the last 3 weeks
of treatment
A portion of the blood was clotted for 6 specimens and
all of the ex vivo assays could not be performed for that
subject
Results
Plasma zinc concentrations increased significantly after
both treatments
Both treatments led to a decrease in hair zinc
concentration, which another study interpreted as
increased hair growth
No significant change was seen in serum ferritin
concentration after treatment
The ZM group experienced an increase in every
parameter and a decrease in ex vivo generation of IL-10
The region that this study was performed in has a high poverty level, and
free breakfast and lunch is given to school children 5d/wk.

This study suggests that the subjects may have been zinc deficient
because of the significant changes seen in each parameter tested.

In nature, micronutrient deficiencies rarely occur alone, so other

micronutrients were provided for the subjects. Other studies show that
zinc alone was not as effective as supplementing with other
micronutrients.

The study does not prove that other micronutrient deficiencies are present
in this population because there were no placebo groups or measurements
of other micronutrients.
Conclusion
Other research found zinc to be effective in treating
conditions such as infantile pneumonia and preventing
infections in patients with sickle cell disease
This study showed zinc was efficacious when other
unknown micronutrient deficiencies were treated
simultaneously
A similar supplementation can be effective in treating other
conditions, such as the conditions above
This study suggests that an increase in nutrient density
in school meals can help improve the overall health of
school children.