Antioxidant and Lipid-Lowering Effects of Buriti Oil (Mauritia flexuosa L.) Administered to Iron-Overloaded Rats.

The indiscriminate use of oral ferrous sulfate (FeSO4) doses induces significant oxidative damage to health. However, carotene-rich foods such as buriti oil can help the endogenous antioxidant defense and still maintain other body functions. This study aimed to assess the effects of buriti oil intake in iron-overloaded rats by FeSO4 administration. Buriti oil has ß-carotene (787.05 mg/kg), α-tocopherol (689.02 mg/kg), and a predominance of monounsaturated fatty acids (91.30 g/100 g). Wistar rats (n = 32) were subdivided into two control groups that were fed a diet containing either soybean or buriti oil; and two groups which received a high daily oral dose of FeSO4 (60 mg/kg body weight) and fed a diet containing either soybean (SFe) or buriti oil (Bfe). The somatic and hematological parameters, serum lipids, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were determined after 17 days of iron overload. Somatic parameters were similar among groups. BFe showed a decrease in low-density lipoprotein (38.43%) and hemoglobin (7.51%); an increase in monocytes (50.98%), SOD activity in serum (87.16%), and liver (645.50%) hepatic GPx (1017.82%); and maintained serum GPx compared to SFe. Buriti oil showed systemic and hepatic antioxidant protection in iron-overloaded rats, which may be related to its high carotenoid, tocopherol, and fatty acid profile.

Effect of Zinc Supplementation on GH, IGF1, IGFBP3, OCN, and ALP in Non-Zinc-Deficient Children.

OBJECTIVE: Because most publications on growth and development deal with children with zinc deficiency, we decided to study the effects of this micronutrient on the secretion of growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1), insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 (IGFBP3), osteocalcin (OCN), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in healthy and eutrophic children. This study is original because the methodology was unique. METHODS: Forty schoolchildren participated in the study, 17 females and 23 males, aged 8 and 9 years. The study was carried out during a 3-month period. It was characterized as a triple-blind randomized controlled trial. The children were divided in a control group (20 schoolchildren using 10% sorbitol) and experimental group (20 schoolchildren using zinc). All were submitted to oral zinc supplementation (10 mg Zn/day) and venous zinc administration (0.06537 mg Zn/kg of body weight). Blood samples were collected at 0, 60, 120, 180, and 210 min. All schoolchildren were also submitted to anthropometric, clinical, and dietetic assessments as well as biochemistry analyses. RESULTS: Oral zinc supplementation in the experimental group (1) stimulated an increase in the consumption of protein and fat (p = 0.0007, p < 0.0001, p < 0.0001, respectively), (2) increased basal serum zinc (p < 0.0001), (3) increased plasma ALP (p = 0.0270), and (4) showed a positive correlation for IGF1, IGFBP3, and OCN, comparing before and after oral zinc supplementation (p = 0.0011, p < 0.0001, p < 0.0446, respectively). During zinc administration, plasma IGF1 and IGFBP3 increased significantly in the experimental group (p = 0.0468, p < 0.0001, respectively). Plasma GH increased in the experimental group but without statistical difference comparing before and after oral zinc supplementation. CONCLUSIONS: Zinc supplementation stimulated an increase in the consumption of some macronutrients and basal serum zinc and improved plasma alkaline phosphatase levels. Zinc administration increased hormones of the GH-IGF1 system.

Serum zinc reference intervals and its relationship with dietary, functional, and biochemical indicators in 6- to 9-year-old healthy children.

BACKGROUND: Zinc is an important cause of morbidity, particularly among young children. The dietary, functional, and biochemical indicators should be used to assess zinc status and to indicate the need for zinc interventions. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the zinc status and reference intervals for serum zinc concentration considering dietary, functional, and biochemical indicators in apparently healthy children in the Northeast Region of Brazil. DESIGN: The cross-sectional study included 131 healthy children: 72 girls and 59 boys, aged between 6 and 9 years. Anthropometric assessment was made by body mass index (BMI) and age; dietary assessment by prospective 3-day food register, and an evaluation of total proteins was performed. Zinc in the serum samples was analyzed in triplicate in the same assay flame, using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. RESULTS: With respect to dietary assessment, only the intake of fiber and calcium was below the recommendations by age and gender. All subjects were eutrophic according to BMI and age classification. Zinc intake correlated with energy (p=0.0019), protein (p=0.0054), fat (p<0.0001), carbohydrate (p=0.0305), fiber (p=0.0465), calcium (p=0.0006), and iron (p=0.0003) intakes. Serum zinc correlated with protein intake (p=0.0145) and serum albumin (p=0.0141), globulin (p=0.0041), and albumin/globulin ratio (p=0.0043). Biochemical parameters were all within the normal reference range. Reference intervals for basal serum zinc concentration were 0.70-1.14 µg/mL in boys, 0.73-1.17 µg/mL in girls, and 0.72-1.15 µg/mL in the total population. CONCLUSIONS: This study presents pediatric reference intervals for serum zinc concentration, considering dietary, functional, and biochemical indicators, which are useful to establish the zinc status in specific groups. In this regard, there are few studies in the literature conducted under these conditions, which make it an innovative methodology.

Nutritional assessment methods for zinc supplementation in prepubertal non-zinc-deficient children.

BACKGROUND: Zinc is an essential nutrient that is required for numerous metabolic functions, and zinc deficiency results in growth retardation, cell-mediated immune dysfunction, and cognitive impairment. OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated nutritional assessment methods for zinc supplementation in prepubertal non-zinc-deficient children. DESIGN: We performed a randomised, controlled, triple-blind study. The children were divided into a control group (10% sorbitol, n=31) and an experimental group (10 mg Zn/day, n=31) for 3 months. Anthropometric and dietary assessments as well as bioelectrical measurements were performed in all children. RESULTS: Our study showed (1) an increased body mass index for age and an increased phase angle in the experimental group; (2) a positive correlation between nutritional assessment parameters in both groups; (3) increased soft tissue, and mainly fat-free mass, in the body composition of the experimental group, as determined using bioelectrical impedance vector analysis; (4) increased consumption of all nutrients, including zinc, in the experimental group; and (5) an increased serum zinc concentration in both groups (p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Given that a reference for body composition analysis does not exist for intervention studies, longitudinal studies are needed to investigate vector migration during zinc supplementation. These results reinforce the importance of employing multiple techniques to assess the nutritional status of populations.

Oral zinc supplementation decreases the serum iron concentration in healthy schoolchildren: a pilot study.

The recognized antagonistic actions between zinc and iron prompted us to study this subject in children. A convenience sample was used. Thirty healthy children between 8 and 9 years of age were studied with the aim of establishing the effect of a 3-mo oral zinc supplementation on iron status. Fifteen individuals were given a placebo (control group), and 15 were given 10 mg Zn/day (experimental group). Blood samples were collected at 0, 60, 120, 180 and 210 min after a 12-h overnight fast, before and after placebo or zinc supplementation. This supplementation was associated with significant improvements in energy, protein, fat, carbohydrate, fiber, calcium, iron, and zinc intake in accordance with the recommendations for age and sex. The basal serum zinc concentration significantly increased after oral zinc supplementation (p < 0.001). However, basal serum iron concentrations and area under the iron curves significantly decreased in the experimental group (p < 0.0001) and remained at the same level throughout the 210-min study. The values obtained for hemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume, ferritin, transferrin, transferrin saturation, ceruloplasmin and total protein were within normal reference ranges. In conclusion, the decrease in serum iron was likely due to the effects of chronic zinc administration, and the decrease in serum iron was not sufficient to cause anemia.

Kinetics of zinc status and zinc deficiency in Berardinelli-Seip syndrome.

Berardinelli-Seip syndrome (BSS) is a very rare disorder characterized by near-complete absence of adipose tissue from birth or early infancy, hypoleptinemia, hypertriglyceridemia, insulin resistance, diabetes mellitus, and other clinical signals. It is caused by mutations in AGPAT2 or Gng3lg. We evaluated 10 BSS patients and 10 healthy subjects. A single dose of 382.43 µmol zinc was administered intravenously before and after 3 months of oral zinc supplementation. Blood samples were collected from the contralateral arm at 0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 min after zinc injection. Plasma and serum were obtained to measure hematological and biochemical parameters. Urine was collected to measure creatinine, protein, and zinc. Basal serum zinc levels were similar in controls and BSS patients. However, serum zinc profiles were significant reduced in BSS patients in comparison with controls. The change in total-body zinc clearance was more significant in BSS patients, indicating that these patients had suboptimum zinc deficiency.