Effect of the consumption of a food supplement on plasma zinc concentrations of free-living Chilean elderly adults Efecto del consumo de un complemento alimentario en la concentración plasmática de cinc en adultos mayores residentes en Santiago de Chile

Abstract

Background: Zinc intake is well below recommendation among Chilean free living elderly adults of low socioeconomic level. Aim: To assess the effect of the consumption of a food supplement on plasma zinc concentrations in elderly adults (EA). Material and Methods: Ambulatory EA (≥70) with controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus or high blood pressure, ascribed to public family health centers were studied. They were separated in a control and intervention group, without blinding techniques. The intervention group consumed daily 50 g of a special nutritional supplement prepared as a soup or porridge, provided by the Government, for 3 months. The control group did not receive the supplement. A good compliance with the supplement was defined as a consumption of 7 portions per week. A fasting venous blood sample was obtained to determine plasma zinc at the beginning and end of the study. Results: Forty three supplemented EA aged 76±5 years (21 women) and 31 non supplemented EA aged 78±5 years (2