SHORT-TERM ZINC SUPPLEMENTATION IN WOMEN WITH NON-INSULIN-DEPENDENT DIABETES-MELLITUS - EFFECTS ON PLASMA 5'-NUCLEOTIDASE ACTIVITIES, INSULIN-LIKE-GROWTH-FACTOR CONCENTRATIONS, AND LIPOPROTEIN OXIDATION RATES IN-VITRO

Non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) may cause vulnerabilit y to moderate zinc deficiency. In this study, short-term zinc suppleme ntation (30 mg/d as amino acid chelate for 3 wk) elevated plasma zinc and activities of 5'-nucleotidase, a zinc-dependant enzyme, in 20 post menopausal women with NIDDM. Placebo, given to 20 other women with NID DM, had no effects on these indexes nor on any others taken in this st udy. Although zinc supplementation doubled the mean value for 5'-nucle otidase activity, values were still significantly lower than those of age-matched control subjects. Plasma insulin-like growth factor I conc entrations increased with zinc treatment if starting concentrations we re < 165 mu g/L but were unchanged if they were > 165 mu g/L. Lipoprot ein oxidation in vitro, which has abnormal lag times and propagation r ates for subjects with NIDDM and for moderately zinc-deficient rats, w ere unchanged by zinc supplementation. Possibly, this lack of effect o ccurred because the zinc treatment did not normalize zinc status. In c onclusion, this study supports the contention that moderate zinc defic iency occurs frequently in subjects with NIDDM.