Letter to the Editor: Zinc Supplementation

I would like to add a precaution before suggesting zinc supplementation to anyone with nutritional growth retardation who lives in places where zinc deficiency may be prevalent. Iron deficiency which may co-exist with zinc deficiency may be aggravated during zinc therapy because these two minerals may block the intestinal absorption of each other.¹ Consequently, iron deficiency may also worsen growth retardation. Therefore, I suggest excluding iron deficiency, which is easier to diagnose than zinc deficiency, before initiating zinc supplementation.

Reference

1. Lifshitz F, et al. Nutritional Growth Retardation. In: Lifshitz F, ed. Pediatric Endocrinology 3^rdEdition. New York: Marcel Dekker, 1996:103-120.

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Letter to the Editor: Zinc Supplementation
Omer Tarim, MD

Volume 19, Issue 1, 2003
© 2003 Prime Health Consultants, Inc.

I would like to add a precaution before suggesting zinc supplementation to anyone with nutritional growth retardation who lives in places where zinc deficiency may be prevalent. Iron deficiency which may co-exist with zinc deficiency may be aggravated during zinc therapy because these two minerals may block the intestinal absorption of each other.¹ Consequently, iron deficiency may also worsen growth retardation. Therefore, I suggest excluding iron deficiency, which is easier to diagnose than zinc deficiency, before initiating zinc supplementation. Reference 1. Lifshitz F, et al. Nutritional Growth Retardation. In: Lifshitz F, ed. Pediatric Endocrinology 3^rdEdition. New York: Marcel Dekker, 1996:103-120.