Intestinal zinc absorption in iron-deficient women

ABSTRACT

To investigate the effect of iron deficiency on intestinal absorption of zinc, changes in serum zinc level 5 hours after ingestion of 100 mg zinc sulfate, considered as an index of intestinal zinc absorption, were measured in 50 iron-deficient women aged between 18 - 48 years. Thirteen normal individuals, with an age range of 20 to 24 years, were selected as controls. Zinc measurements were performed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Post-ingestion serum zinc levels were significantly lower in the iron - deficient women, although the per cent increase in zinc uptake was similar in patients and controls. The zinc level was significantly lower in patients before and after zinc ingestion, compared to the corresponding control levels. The results of high performance liquid chromatography [HPLC] measurements of serum vitamin A levels, similar to the zinc pattern, were significantly lower in the patients before and after zinc intake, compared to the corresponding controls, while serum vitamin E, measured by HPLC, remained unchanged in all subjects: