Table 1 Zinc status of the elderly.

204 males, 20 – 84 y.

54 females, 20 – 58 y.

significant decrease of plasma zinc, but not erythrocyte zinc, with age

146 elderly, 65–95 y.

mean plasma levels below 85 μg/dL (= 13 μM)

121 elderly, 60–97 y.

Average zinc intake 7.3 mg/day, 6% had serum zinc under 70 μg/dL (= 10.7 μM)

24 healthy, 69–85 y.

50 controls, 21–64 y.

reduced plasma zinc compared to young controls

20 chronically ill elderly, 70–85 y.

compared to Bunker et al. 1984 no effect on plasma and whole blood zinc, but reduction of leukocyte zinc

100 elderly, 60–89 y.

14.7% zinc deficient (<10.7 μM, plasma), >90% had intake below RDA (15 mg/ml in 1987)

23 elderly, 65–85 y.

13 controls, 23–45 y.

IL-2 production was lower in elderly with reduced leukocyte and neutrophil zinc

232 hospitalized, 60–104 y.

25 free living, 69–94 y.

serum and leukocyte zinc lower in hospitalized subjects

53 healthy elderly, 64–95 y.

serum zinc decreases with age, mean serum zinc within normal range, 65% had intake less than 2/3 RDA

19 healthy, 51.3 m.a.

25 healthy, 77.7 m.a.

30 hospitalized, 80.8 m.a.

34 w/ulcers, 81.3 m.a.

plasma zinc negatively correlated with age, plasma and leukocyte zinc lower in hospitalized elderly compared to both healthy control groups

30 patients, 72–98 y.

12 healthy, 75–86 y.

23 controls, 18–55 y.

plasma zinc significantly decreased in both groups of elderly, zinc is lowered in polymorphonuclear but not mononuclear cells of elderly patients

118 subjects, 50–80 y.

decrease in lymphocyte and granulocyte zinc, ~30% defined as zinc deficient

21 elderly, 70–90 y.

20 young, 20–35 y.

significantly lower serum zinc in the elderly

81 hospitalized, 65–102 y.

61% of subjects zinc deficient (<10.7 μM)

345 elderly, > 70 y.

19% had hypozincemia (<12.2 μM), values of nursing home residents significantly lower than free living

29,103 subjects, NHANES III

42.5% of ≥71 y. had adequate zinc intake

62 healthy, 90–106 y.

zinc deficiency in 52% male and 41% female subjects, based on a reference range established in 20–64 y. controls

44 oldest old, 90–107 y.

44 elderly, 65–89 y.

44 young, 20–64 y.

serum zinc significantly reduced in oldest old compared to elderly and young

50 hospitalized, 83.5 m.a.

28% deficient (<10.7 μM serum zinc)

13,463 subjects, NHANES II

Correlation between serum zinc and age, decline starts at age 25

10 oldest old, 93–102 y.

15 old, 65–80 y.

15 young, 20–40 y.

10 infected, 63–75 y.

Significantly lower zinc in both groups of older subjects compared to younger ones, no decrease from old to oldest old

Lowest levels found in infected patients

101 elderly, 56–83 y.

35% zinc deficient (<90 μg/dL plasma zinc)

668 hospitalized, 80.4 m.a.

105 healthy, 80.9 m.a.

20.2% zinc deficient (<70 μg/dL (or 10.7 μM) serum zinc) in the hospitalized, none in the healthy controls

188 aged, 55–70 y.

199 older 70–85 y.

Erythrocyte zinc lower and urinary zinc higher in the older participants. Less than 5% had insufficient zinc uptake (< 2/3 RDA)

93 healthy elderly, 55–70 y.

Average of 13.0 μM serum zinc

67 elderly, 71.7 m.a.

Mean serum zinc 61.8 μg/dL (= 9.4 μM), 76.3% zinc deficient (<70 μg/dL or 10.7 μM)