Zinc status and serum testosterone levels of healthy adults

doi:10.1016/S0899-9007(96)80058-X

Nutrition

Volume 12, Issue 5, May 1996, Pages 344-348

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0899-9007(96)80058-X Get rights and content

Abstract

Zinc deficiency is prevalent throughout the world, including the USA. Severe and moderate deficiency of zinc is associated with hypogonadism in men. However, the effect of marginal zinc defficiency on serum testosterone concentration is not known. We studied the relationship between cellular zinc concentrations and serum testosterone cross-sectionally in 40 normal men, 20 to 80 y of age. In four normal young men (27.5 ± 0.5 y), we measured serum testosterone before and during marginal zinc deficiency induced by restricting dietary zinc intake. We also measured serum testosterone in nine elderly men (64 ± 9 y) who were marginally zinc deficient before and after 3 to 6 mo of supplement with 459 μmol/d oral zinc administered as zinc gluconate. Serum testosterone concentrations were significantly correlated with cellular zinc concentrations in the cross-sectional study (lymphocyte zinc versus serum testosterone, r = 0.43, p = 0.006; granulocyte zinc versus serum testosterone, r = 0.30, p = 0.03). Dietary zinc restriction in normal young men was associated with a significant decrease in serum testosterone concentrations after 20 weeks of zinc restriction (baseline versus post-zinc restriction mean ± SD, 39.9 ± 7.1 versus 10.6 ± 3.6 nmol/L, respectively; p = 0.005). Zinc supplementation of marginally zinc-deficient normal elderly men for six months resulted in an increase ins erum testosterone from 8.3 ± 6.3 to 16.0 ± 4.4 nmol/p (p = 0.02). We conclude that zinc may play an important role in modulating serum testosterone levels in normal men.

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Zinc status and serum testosterone levels of healthy adults

Abstract

Am J Med

Lancet

Fertil Steril

Urology

Am J Clin Nutr

J Nutr

J Ster Biochem

The role of zinc in reproduction

Biol Trace Elem Res

Zinc metabolism in patients with the syndrome of iron deficiency, anemia, hypogonadism and dwarfism

J Lab Clin Med

Zinc nutritional status, androgens and growth retardation

Am J Clin Nutr

Effect of oral zinc supplementation on growth, hormonal levels and zinc in healthy short children

Ann Nutr Metab

Transient partial growth hormone deficiency due to zinc deficiency

J Am Coll Nutr

Effect of oral zinc treatment on gonadal function in hemodialysis patients

Ann Intern Med

Gonadal function abnormalities in sickle cell anemia. Studies in adult male patients

Ann Intern Med

Zinc plasma androgens and male sterility

Lancet

Effect of zinc administration on plasma testosterone, dihydrotestosterone and sperm count

Arch Androl

Zinc deficiency in elderly patients

Nutrition