The effect of zinc supplementation on zinc kinetics in young and elderly subjects

It has been suggested that elderly subjects may have reduced dietary title intake and reduced zinc absorption compared with young subjects and that th ey may be at risk of marginal zinc deficiency. In order to investigate this possibility, whole body zinc kinetics were examined in healthy young and h ealthy elderly subjects using stable zinc isotopes in a turnover study. A c ompartmental model was used to calculate the size and turnover rates of zin c metabolic pools. These preliminary data suggest that the elderly group ha d reduced pool sizes compared with the young group and that zinc supplement ation may cause an increase in the GI pool an elderly subjects.