Serum levels of the Micronutrient Zinc Decrease with Advancing Age in Normally Nourished Older Adults Over 75 Years of Age

¹Graduate School of Human Ecology, Wayo Women's University, 2-3-1 Konodai, Ichikawa, Chiba 272-8533, Japan.

²Faculty of Life Science, Wayo Women's University, 2-3-1 Konodai, Ichikawa, Chiba, 272-8533, Japan.

³Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Human Arts and Sciences, 354-3, Shinshoji-Guruwa, Ota-aza, Iwatsuki-ku, Saitama 339-8555, Japan.

Corresponding Author:Toshikazu Suzuki, Department of Health and Nutrition, Wayo Women's University, 2-3-1 Konodai, Ichikawa, Chiba 272-8533, Japan. Tel: +81-43-371-1547; E-Mail: [email protected]

Received Date: 25 Apr 2016    
Accepted Date: 25 May 2016   
Published Date: 20 Jun 2016

Copyright © 2016 Suzuki T

Citation:Takahashi M, Suzuki T, Takagi A, Matsumoto H, et al. (2016). Serum levels of the Micronutrient Zinc Decrease with Advancing Age in Normally Nourished Older Adults Over 75 Years of Age. Mathews J Nutr Diet. 1(1): 005.

ABSTRACT

Adequate daily nutrient intake is one of the most important factors contributing to the achievement of healthy aging. In this study, we investigated changes in blood nutrients over a 2 years and 9 months period in normally nourished, independent- living, older adults who were over 75 years of age.
Thirteen older adults (mean age 82.5 ± 5.2 years) participated in this study. Individual physical characteristics, nutritional status, dietary nutrient intake, and blood nutrient concentrations were measured in March 2009 and again in December 2011. The values of the anthropometric measurements, including height, weight, body mass index, mid-arm circumference, and calf circumference, decreased with advancing age. Estimated nutrient intakes revealed that all participants were well-nourished, although the estimated zinc intake of the male participants was slightly lower than the recommended dietary allowance. At the second measurement, in December 2011, serum zinc concentrations had decreased from March 2009 levels by 23% and 19% in the male and female participants, respectively.
Our results imply that normally nourished older adults over 75 years of age may develop zinc insufficiency with increasing age. Increased dietary zinc intake and zinc supplementation might be important for older people, even if they are normally nourished based on dietary survey information.

KEYWORDS

Nutritional Assessment; Older Persons Over 75; Normally Nourished; Zinc.