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The relationship between the zinc nutritive status and biochemical markers of bone turnover in older European adults: the ZENITH study

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 59, pages S73–S78 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

To investigate the relationship between indices of zinc nutritive status and biochemical markers of bone turnover in older adult European subjects.

Design:

Use of baseline data from a multicentre prospective zinc intervention (ZENITH) study.

Setting:

Centres in France, Italy and Northern Ireland.

Participants:

A total of 387 healthy adults, aged 55–87 y.

Methods:

Zinc intake was assessed by 4-day recall records. Circulating and urinary biochemical zinc status measures were assessed by atomic absorption spectrophometry. Serum bone-specific alkaline phosphatase and osteocalcin were assessed by ELISA and urinary pyridinoline (Pyr) and deoxypyridinoline (Dpyr) by HPLC.

Results:

Zinc intake was negatively correlated with urinary Pyr and Dpyr (r=−0.298 and −0.304, respectively; P<0.0001), but was not correlated with bone formation markers. There was a tendency for serum zinc to be negatively correlated with urinary Dpyr (r=−0.211; P=0.080). Erythrocyte zinc was negatively correlated with serum osteocalcin (r=−0.090; P<0.0001). None of the other correlations were significant. After adjustment for confounder (age, gender and research centre) the only significant association that remained was between serum osteocalcin and erythrocyte zinc (β=−0.124; P=0.011).

Conclusions:

There was some, albeit inconsistent, evidence of a relationship between zinc nutritive status and bone turnover in the older adult participants of the ZENITH study.

Sponsorship:

ZENITH is supported by the European Commission ‘Quality of Life and Management of Living Resources’ Fifth Framework Programme, Contract No: QLK1-CT-2001-00168.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, University College, Cork, Ireland

    T Hill & K D Cashman

  2. Centre de recherche en Nutrition Humaine d'Auvergne (CRNH), Unité Maladies Métaboliques et Micronutriments, INRA, Centre de Recherche de Clermont-Ferrand/Theix, St Genès-Champanelle, France

    N Meunier & C Coudray

  3. Laboratoire de Nutrition Vieillissement et Maladies Cardiovasculaires, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université de Joseph Fourier, Domaine de la Merci, La Tronche, France

    M Andriollo-Sanchez & I Hininger-Favier

  4. National Institute for Food and Nutrition Research, Human Nutrition Unit, Rome, Italy

    D Ciarapica & A Polito

  5. Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health (NICHE), Biomedical Science, University of Ulster, Coleraine, Co Derry, Northern Ireland

    J M O'Connor

  6. Department of Medicine, University College, Cork, Ireland

    K D Cashman

Authors
  1. T Hill
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  2. N Meunier
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  3. M Andriollo-Sanchez
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  4. D Ciarapica
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  5. I Hininger-Favier
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  6. A Polito
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  7. J M O'Connor
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  8. C Coudray
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  9. K D Cashman
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to K D Cashman.

Additional information

Guarantor: KD Cashman.

Contributors: TH contributed to the analysis and writing of the study. NM, MA-S, DC, IH-F, AP, JMOC, CC and KDC contributed to design, execution, analysis and writing of the study. CC is the ZENITH project coordinator. All authors read and contributed to the finalisation of the manuscript.

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Hill, T., Meunier, N., Andriollo-Sanchez, M. et al. The relationship between the zinc nutritive status and biochemical markers of bone turnover in older European adults: the ZENITH study. Eur J Clin Nutr 59 (Suppl 2), S73–S78 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602303

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