A REVIEW OF ZINC; AN ESSENTIAL ANTIOXIDANT TRACE ELEMENT IN THE ELDERLY
Formerly Published in Vol. 8 No. 1 Jan. - Jun., 2023
Keywords:
trace element, zinc, elderly, micromineral nutritionAbstract
Zinc is an important antioxidant trace element absorbed through metallothioneins in the small intestine. With a total body zinc mass of 2-4g in an adult, and seen in all classes of enzymes, zinc is involved in many metabolic functions such as protein synthesis, DNA synthesis, cellular growth, innate and acquired immunity as well as several antioxidant detoxification. Uncontrolled oxidative stress and subsequent inflammation is an initiator of Alzheimer’s dementia. Zinc and other antioxidant supplementation is the main treatment of age-related macular degeneration. Oxidative stress plays a major role in depression. Serum zinc correlates with mental efficiency in the elderly, while low serum levels was demonstrated in elderly persons with major depressive disorder. Zinc administration has positive metabolic effects in chronic liver disease such as attenuation of inflammation and reduction of hepatic steatosis, improvement of insulin resistance and attenuation of hepatic encephalopathy. Maintaining adequate circulating zinc may reduce free radical damage to the DNA. Free radical damage is one of the theories of cancer pathogenesis. Low serum zinc levels have been reported in cervical cancer, liver cancer, oral cancer, pancreatic cancer and prostate cancer. Lower levels of zinc correlated with more severe and advanced prostate cancer.
The elderly person is prone to malignancies and other chronic diseases. The aim of this review is to refresh the clinician and the academic on zinc metabolism and the metabolic benefits of this antioxidant trace element in minimizing chronic diseases and the need for adequate micromineral nutrition in the elderly.
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