1987 Volume 24 Issue 3 Pages 272-277
Serum zinc concentrations were determined with atomic absorption spectrophotometric method in 665 cases (285 men and 380 women) which had normal values in all 14 chemical analysis; GOT, GPT, LDH, alkaline phosphatase, r-GTP, total protein, albumin, choline esterase, total and direct bilirubin, total cholesterol, uric acid, BUN and plasma glucose. Age-related change was not found in serum zinc level. Serum zinc was slightly higher in men than in women in every age group. Normal range of serum zinc was 60-120μg/dl in our series. Oral zinc tolerance tests were performed in healthy subjects under 45 years old (8 cases, young group) and over 70 years old (7 cases, elderly group). Although the serum zinc level before oral administration of 220mg of zinc sulfate (containing 50mg of zinc) showed no difference between two groups, the elevation of serum zinc was significantly higher in the young group compared to the elderly group after 30 minutes (p<0.01), 60 minutes (p<0.05), 120 minutes (p<0.05) or 180 minutes (p<0.05). Excretion of zinc into duodenal aspirates during pancreozymin-secretin tests did not differ between in the young and the elderly group. Mean value of the total excreted zinc in 70 minutes during the test was 0.18mg. It is suggested that the subclinical zinc deficiency state can be easily occur in the aged as the result of the decreased rate of intestinal absorption of zinc.
