M. Hambidge et Nf. Krebs, Interrelationships of key variables of human zinc homeostasis: Relevance to dietary zinc requirements, ANN R NUTR, 21, 2001, pp. 429-452
Currently, estimates of human zinc requirements depend primarily on a facto
rial approach. The availability of tracer techniques employing zinc stable
isotopes has facilitated the acquisition of data on major variables of zinc
homeostasis in addition to those that can be measured with careful metabol
ic balance techniques. These data have promising potential to facilitate an
d improve the factorial approach. The thesis proposed in this paper is that
realistic estimations of dietary zinc requirements by a factorial approach
require attention to the dynamic interrelationships between major variable
s of zinc homeostasis. This applies especially to the positive relationship
between endogenous fecal zinc and total absorbed zinc, which is the essent
ial starting point in estimating physiologic and, from there, dietary requi
rements.