EFFECT OF MICRONUTRIENT SUPPLEMENTATION ON INFECTION IN INSTITUTIONALIZED ELDERLY SUBJECTS - A CONTROLLED TRIAL

To determine the impact of a trace element and vitamin supplementation on infectious morbidity, a double-blind controlled trial was performe d on 81 elderly subjects in a geriatric center during a 2-year period. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups, and received daily: placebo; trace elements /zinc 20 mg; selenium 100 mu g ); vitamins (vitamin C 120 mg; beta-carotene 6 mg; alpha-tocopherol 15 mg); or a combination of trace elements and vitamins at equal doses, (1) Before supplementation, low serum values in vitamin C, folate, zin c and selenium were observed in more than two thirds of the patients. (2) After 6 months of supplementation, a significant increase in vitam in and trace element serum levels was obtained in the corresponding tr eatment groups: a plateau was then observed for the whole study. (3) S ubjects who received trace elements (zinc and selenium) alone or assoc iated with vitamins had significantly less infectious events during th e 2 years of supplementation. These results indicate that supplementat ion with low doses of vitamins and trace elements is able to rapidly c orrect corresponding deficiencies in the institutionalized elderly. Mo reover, zinc and selenium reduced infectious events.