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Zinc Deficiency among Older Adults—A Clinical Update

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Zinc Deficiency among Older Adults—A Clinical Update

Maitreyi Raman, MD, FRCPC, Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB.
Elaheh Aghdassi, PhD, Scientific Associate, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON.
Johane P. Allard, PhD, Associate Professor, Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON.

Zinc is one of the essential micronutrients and has an important role in the maintenance of human health. Older adults are particularly vulnerable to zinc deficiency due to poor intake of zinc-rich foods. Zinc deficiency may result from poor intake due to alterations in both olfactory and gustatory sensations in addition to difficulty in mastication from poor dentition, or due to inadequate absorption resulting from excess consumption of phytate-containing products that inhibit the absorption of zinc. This review focuses on the clinical consequences associated with zinc deficiency among older adults.
Key words: zinc, deficiency, older adults, clinical manifestations.

Related Terms: Nutrition, clinical manifestations, deficiency, older adults, zinc