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Effect of Zinc Supplementation on Inflammatory Markers and Adipokines in Young Obese Women

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Abstract

Obesity is a chronic inflammatory state characterized by altered adipokine production and increased levels of inflammatory cytokines. The study explored the effect of zinc supplementation on inflammatory markers and adipocyte hormones in young obese women. Twenty five non-obese women and forty obese women (body mass index ≥25 kg/m2) aged 19–28 years were recruited for this study. Twenty obese women of the study group took 30 mg/day of supplemental zinc as zinc gluconate for 8 weeks and 20 obese women of control group took placebo. Usual dietary zinc intake was estimated from 3-day diet records. Serum zinc and urinary zinc concentration were measured by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry. Inflammatory markers such as high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and interleukin (IL)-6 and adipocyte hormones such as lepin and adiponectin were measured by enzyme immunoassay. Inflammatory markers and leptin were significantly higher, but adiponectin was significantly lower in obese women than non-obese women. Zinc supplementation increased serum zinc by 15 % and urinary zinc by 56 % (P < 0.05). The levels of hs-CRP (P = 0.03) and IL-6 (P = 0.006) significantly decreased with zinc supplementation, but not in placebo group. Serum leptin and plasma adiponectin concentration did not differ with either zinc supplementation or placebo. The levels of IL-6 and leptin were inversely associated with dietary zinc intake. These results suggest that zinc may have a favorable effect on obesity-related inflammation in young adults.

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Abbreviations

BMI:

Body mass index

SOD:

Superoxide dismutase

hs-CRP:

High sensitivity C-reactive protein

TNF-α:

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha

IL-6:

Interleukin-6

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Acknowledgment

This research was supported by the Basic Science Research Program of the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) founded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (NRF2012R1A1A1012317).

Conflict of interest

None of the authors has a conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Nutrition, Graduate School of East–West Medical Science, Kyung Hee University, 1732 Deogyeong-daero, Giheung-gu, Yongin, Gyeonggi-do, 446-701, South Korea

    Jihye Kim

  2. Research Institute of Medical Nutrition, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 130-701, South Korea

    Jihye Kim

  3. Department of Food and Nutrition, Daegu University, Gyeongsan, South Korea

    Juhee Ahn

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  1. Jihye Kim
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  2. Juhee Ahn
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Correspondence to Jihye Kim.

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Kim, J., Ahn, J. Effect of Zinc Supplementation on Inflammatory Markers and Adipokines in Young Obese Women. Biol Trace Elem Res 157, 101–106 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-013-9885-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-013-9885-3

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