Introduction: Zinc deficiency is known to occur in widely diverse areas of world. It has now been recognized in many disease states, such as ESRD patients on maintenance hemodialysis (HD). The purpose of this research was to study the effects of zinc supplementation on the concentration of serum zinc, total cholesterol, triglyceride, and cholesterol fractions (HDL, LDL) in HD patients.
Patients and methods: In a double blind trial, the effects of oral zinc supplementation on the serum concentration of zinc, total cholesterol, HDL and LDL cholesterol, and triglyceride in HD patients were evaluated.
Results: After 42 days, the mean serum zinc concentration among participants in the zinc-supplemented group increased. There was a significant elevation in the serum total cholesterol and also in mean the serum LDL and HDL cholesterol and serum triglyceride for the subjects in the zinc-supplemented group.
Discussion: A suboptimal level of the serum total cholesterol concentration is a factor associated with malnutrition and morbidity in the HD patients. Maintenance HD patients with both low serum zinc and low serum total cholesterol concentrations may benefit from zinc supplementation. Therefore, it is advisable to obtain baseline measurement of the serum zinc and total cholesterol concentrations in maintenance HD patients.