A plant-based diet is thought to be better for the prevention and treatment of lifestyle-related diseases. However, zinc, copper and selenium, which are essential trace elements, are abundant in animal products, so it is necessary to assess the nutritional status of vegetarians with respect to these nutrients. We evaluated the serum levels of selenium, zinc, and copper in 19 middle-aged and elderly women who were on a 45-day plant-based diet therapy and 27 healthy middle-aged and elderly women. Selenium content in the meal was found to be lower than the daily requirement in the women on a plant-based diet, while the contents of the zinc and copper did not satisfy daily requirements in both the healthy women and plant-based diet groups. Serum selenium and zinc levels were lower trend in the group after eating the plant-based diet than in the healthy women group. Analysis of correlations between the component in the meal and the serum levels of zinc, copper, and selenium only showed a correlation between the component in the meal and the serum level of selenium. These results suggest that reduced selenium intake due to a plant-based diet may have the potential adverse effects.
