JWSimpkins
Member
Friday, December 20, 2013. An article published this year in Advanced Pharmaceutical Bulletin reports the findings of a randomized, double-blinded trial which revealed a weight loss and triglyceride-lowering benefit for zinc supplementation among obese men and women.
Sixty participants between the ages of 18 and 45 years were divided to receive 30 milligrams zinc gluconate or a placebo for one month. Weight, waist circumference and body mass index (BMI) were determined, and blood samples were analyzed for serum zinc, lipids and fasting glucose levels before and after the treatment period.
In their discussion of the findings, authors Laleh Payahoo and colleagues of Tabriz University of Medical Science in Iran remark that the dose of zinc used in the study was higher than the Institute of Medicine's Dietary Reference Intake level of 8 to 11 milligrams per day. Although no significant changes were observed in lipids and fasting blood glucose among those who received zinc in the current study, they note that higher doses and longer periods of zinc supplementation have been suggested as a therapy to lower triglycerides as well as total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. Possible mechanisms for the results observed in the current research include a role for zinc in appetite suppression, a protective role for the mineral against an obesity-promoting mutation, and improvement of insulin sensitivity and insulin resistance.
"The results of this study indicated that one month supplementation of zinc gluconate (30 mg/day) in obese male and female adults resulted in a remarkable reduction in weight and BMI indices as well as an increase in serum zinc concentration," the authors write. "To the best of our knowledge, this was the first study in the region that investigated the effect of zinc supplementation on obese adults in both genders and it can be considered as the strength of the study."
"It can be suggested that increasing the period of intervention and determining the safety and effectiveness of doses of zinc supplementation be considered in future studies."
Sixty participants between the ages of 18 and 45 years were divided to receive 30 milligrams zinc gluconate or a placebo for one month. Weight, waist circumference and body mass index (BMI) were determined, and blood samples were analyzed for serum zinc, lipids and fasting glucose levels before and after the treatment period.
In their discussion of the findings, authors Laleh Payahoo and colleagues of Tabriz University of Medical Science in Iran remark that the dose of zinc used in the study was higher than the Institute of Medicine's Dietary Reference Intake level of 8 to 11 milligrams per day. Although no significant changes were observed in lipids and fasting blood glucose among those who received zinc in the current study, they note that higher doses and longer periods of zinc supplementation have been suggested as a therapy to lower triglycerides as well as total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. Possible mechanisms for the results observed in the current research include a role for zinc in appetite suppression, a protective role for the mineral against an obesity-promoting mutation, and improvement of insulin sensitivity and insulin resistance.
"The results of this study indicated that one month supplementation of zinc gluconate (30 mg/day) in obese male and female adults resulted in a remarkable reduction in weight and BMI indices as well as an increase in serum zinc concentration," the authors write. "To the best of our knowledge, this was the first study in the region that investigated the effect of zinc supplementation on obese adults in both genders and it can be considered as the strength of the study."
"It can be suggested that increasing the period of intervention and determining the safety and effectiveness of doses of zinc supplementation be considered in future studies."
