ZINC-ABSORPTION, MINERAL BALANCE, AND BLOOD-LIPIDS IN WOMEN CONSUMINGCONTROLLED LACTOOVOVEGETARIAN AND OMNIVOROUS DIETS FOR 8 WK

Zinc absorption, mineral balance, and blood Lipid concentrations were measured in 21 women aged 33 +/- 7 y (range: 20-42 y) consuming contro lled lactoovovegetarian and nonvegetarian diets for 8 wk each in a cro ssover design. The lactoovovegetarian and nonvegetarian diets, respect ively, provided (by analysis) 973 and 995 mg Ca, 1.8 and 1.3 mg Cu, 36 7 and 260 mg Mg, 5.9 and 2.5 mg Mn, 1457 and 1667 mg P, 9.1 and 11.1 m g Zn, and (by calculation) 40 and 16 g dietary fiber, 2.5 and 0.8 mmol phytic acid, molar ratios of phytate to Zn of 14 and 5, and millimola r ratios of(phytate X Ca) to Zn of 344 and 111. Dietary zinc absorptio n was measured by extrinsic isotopic labeling and whole body counting. Plasma cholesterol, cholesterol fractions, and lipoproteins were redu ced 7-12% with the lactoovovegetarian diet, consistent with prediction s based on dietary cholesterol and fat. Blood pressure was unaffected. Calcium, copper, magnesium, and phosphorus balances were not differen t between diets; manganese balance tended to be greater with the lacto ovovegetarian diet (P < 0.07). The lactoovovegetarian diet was associa ted with a 21% reduction in absorptive efficiency that, together with a 14% reduction in dietary zinc, reduced the amount of zinc absorbed b y 35% (2.4 compared with 3.7 mg/d) and reduced plasma zinc by 5% withi n the normal range. Zinc balance was maintained with both diets. Altho ugh there is a greater risk of zinc deficiency in persons consuming la ctoovovegetarian compared with omnivorous diets, with inclusion of who le grains and legumes zinc requirements can be met and zinc balance ma intained.