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. 2022 Dec 15;14(24):5334.
doi: 10.3390/nu14245334.

Effects of Different Doses, Forms, and Frequencies of Zinc Supplementation on Biomarkers of Iron and Zinc Status among Young Children in Dhaka, Bangladesh

M Munirul Islam  1 , Robert E Black  2   3 , Nancy F Krebs  2   4 , Jamie Westcott  4 , Julie M Long  4 , Kazi M Islam  1 , Janet M Peerson  5 , Rahvia Alam Sthity  1 , Afsana Mim Khandaker  1 , Mehedi Hasan  1 , Shams El Arifeen  1 , Tahmeed Ahmed  1 , Janet C King  2   6 , Christine M McDonald  2   7
Affiliations

Effects of Different Doses, Forms, and Frequencies of Zinc Supplementation on Biomarkers of Iron and Zinc Status among Young Children in Dhaka, Bangladesh

M Munirul Islam et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

Young children in resource-constrained settings are susceptible to zinc deficiency and its deleterious health effects. The objective of this secondary analysis was to evaluate the effects of the following six interventions on biomarkers of iron and zinc status among a subgroup of young children in Dhaka, Bangladesh, who participated in the Zinc in Powders Trial (ZiPT): (1) standard micronutrient powders (MNPs) containing 4.1 mg zinc and 10 mg iron, daily; (2) high-zinc (10 mg) and low-iron (6 mg) (HiZn LoFe) MNP, daily; (3) HiZn (10 mg) and LoFe (6 mg)/HiZn (10 mg) and no-iron MNPs on alternating days; (4) dispersible zinc tablet (10 mg), daily; (5) dispersible zinc tablet (10 mg), daily for 2 weeks at enrollment and at 12 weeks; (6) placebo powder, daily. At the end of the 24 week intervention period, children in the daily dispersible zinc tablet group exhibited a mean serum zinc concentration (SZC) of 92.5 μg/dL, which was significantly higher than all other groups except the HiZn LoFe MNP alternating group (81.3 μg/dL). MNPs containing 10 mg and 6 mg of iron had a similar impact on biomarkers of iron status, with no evidence of an adverse interaction with zinc.

Keywords: Bangladesh; biomarker; micronutrients; zinc.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flowchart of study participants.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Adjusted ferritin concentrations at 24 weeks shown by adjusted ferritin concentration at baseline.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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