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Objective: The present study designed to assess the effect of Mg+Zn, vitamin C+E, and combination of these micronutrients on blood pressure in type 2 diabetic patients. Materials and Methods: In a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled clinical trial, 69 type 2 diabetic patients were randomly divided into four groups. Each group receiving one of the following daily supplement for 3 months group M: 200 mg Mg and 30 mg Zn (n=16), group V: 200 mg vitamin C and 150 mg vitamin E (n=18), group MV: minerals plus vitamins (n=17), group P: placebo (n=18). Blood pressure was measured at the beginning and at the end of the trial. Results: Results indicate that after 3 months of supplementation levels of systolic, diastolic and mean blood pressure decreased significantly in the MV group by 8 mmHg (122±16 vs. 130±19 mmHg), 6 mmHg (77±9 vs. 83±11 mmHg), and 7 mmHg (92±9 vs. 99±13 mmHg), respectively (p<0.05). Combination of vitamin and mineral supplementation had significantly effects in increasing serum potassium and sodium to potassium ratio (p<0.05). There was no significant change in the levels of these parameters in the other 3 groups. Also serum malondialdehyde decreased significantly in group M and MV (p<0.05 and p<0.01, respectively). Conclusion: The results of the present study indicated that in type 2 diabetic patients, combination of vitamins and minerals rather than vitamin C and E, or Mg and Zn, might decrease blood pressure.

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Introduction: Nutritional stunting, which indicates chronic malnutrition, is an important health problem in developing countries. Bearing in mind the critical role of zinc in child growth, this research project was carried out in order to determine the effect of zinc supplementation on the growth of 12-24-month old stunted children in Delphan, Lorestan Province, Iran. Materials and Methods: This randomized, placebo-controlled, double–blind trial was carried out on 61 stunted children aged 12-24 months in Delphan, Lorestan Province, Iran during 2005-6. They were randomly assigned to receive, daily, either a 10-mg zinc supplement or a placebo for 4 months. Weights and heights were measured monthly and weight-for-age, height-for-age, and weight-for-height Z-scores calculated, using the SPSS software. Results: In severely stunted children, zinc supplementation improved height and height-for-age increments height-for-age Z-score: -1.48±0.42 vs -2057±0.44 vs p<0.001) and had a positive effect on the weight-for-age Z-score 1.30±0.69 vs -1.70±0.52 Weight-for-height was not significantly affected by the supplementation. Conclusion: Zinc deficiency is a cause of nutritional stunting in Delphan, Iran. Zinc Supplementation can improve height increment in the stunted children.

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Introduction and Objective: Iron deficiency and iron-deficiency anemia are one the most important health problems in the world. Iron supplementation can reduce both Zn absorption and plasma vitamin C concentration. In this study, effects of iron supplementation with and without ascorbic acid on Zn and vitamin C status in iron-deficient university female students have been studied. Material and Methods: This study was a double-blind randomized clinical trial. Sixty non-anemic iron-deficient (NAID) girls were selected from 289 female students at Fatemeh Zahra (PBUH) dormitory, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran. They were divided randomly into 2 groups, receiving either 50 mg/d elemental iron supplement (group I, intervention) or the supplement plus 500 mg/d ascorbic acid (group II, control) for 12 weeks. Blood analysis was made at the beginning and the end of the 6th and 12th weeks in the two groups. Hemoglobin and serum ferritin concentrations were measured using cell-counter and ELISA, respectively. Serum zinc and iron concentrations were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry and plasma vitamin C was analyzed by the 2, 4-DNPH method. The Student's t and repeated-measures tests were employed to analyze the data using the SPSS software. Results: The serum zinc level was not initially significantly different between the two groups. It decreased from 80.94.2 to 68.92.7 and from 81.24.5 to 66.12.9 µg/dl by the 6th week in groups I and II, respectively (p<0.001), but by the 12th week it increased significantly to the pre-intervention value of 792.9 µg/dl (p<0.01) in group I and, non-significantly, to 70.53.1 in group II. On the other hand, plasma vitamin C increased from 3.00.1 to 3.30.2 mg/l (NS) in group 1 and from 2.7.0.1 to 4.20.2 mg/l (p<0.01) in group II by the 6th week. The incremental trend in group II continued between the 6th and 12th weeks (3.30.2 to 4.70.3 mg/l in group I, and 4.20.2 to 7.10.2 mg/l in group II in both cases p<0.001). Serum ferritin and iron levels increased significantly in both groups (p<0.01). Conclusion: Iron supplementation with and without vitamin C in iron-deficient female students causes serum Zn reduction after 6 weeks. However, the decreasing trend stops after repletion of iron stores, the Zn level returning to the baseline value. Twelve weeks of iron supplementation does not seem to cause reductions in the serum zinc and plasma vitamin C levels in this age group.

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Background and objective: Zinc (Zn) is an essential trace element found in a wide spectrum of metalloenzymes,. It participates in many metabolic processes, including normal metabolism of vitamin A. On the other hand, vitamin A affects zinc absorption and utilization. Recent investigation has shown that vitamin A plays a role in the secretion of insulin by the pancreas. There is evidence that the metabolism of zinc and vitamin A is altered in type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM). The objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of simultaneous zinc and vitamin A supplementation on serum lipoproteins, apoproteins A-I and B and glycemic status in patient with type I DM. Materials and methods: Fifty-two 7-20 year-old patients with at least 2 years of DM history, not suffering from any other metabolic disease, and not taking any medicine, but under insulin treatment, participated in a 12-week randomized double-blind clinical trial. They were divided, ,after matching for sex, age and DM duration, into 2 groups: a Zn- and vitamin A-supplemented group (10 mg Zn-sulfate syrup per day and half of a 25000-IU vitamin A tablet every other day) and a control group (taking a zinc and vitamin A placebo). Forty-eight patients completed the study. Nutrients intakes were estimated using a 24-hour recall and analyzed by Food Processor III . The serum contents of total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), triglyceride (TG), apoproteins B and A-I, fasting blood sugar (FBS), insulin, and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) were determined at the beginning and at the end of the trial. The independent sample t-test was used for comparisons between the two groups and the paired sample t-test was used to compare the differences between different time points in each group. A P-value £ 0.05 was considered significant. Results: The final mean serum TC, TG, LDL-c, HDL-c, FBS, insulin, HbA1c and apoprotein B values were not significantly different between the 2 groups.As compared to the control value, only the apoprotein AI level significantly increased in the experimental group (p<0.0001). Conclusion: It seems that simultaneous zinc and vitamin A supplementation may increase the serum ApoA-I level, which can reduce the atherogenic risk factor in patients with type 1 DM.

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Background and Objective:The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of dietary supplementation with zinc, magnesium and zinc plus magnesium on muscle strength in active women. Materials and Methods: Forty active women selected randomly were randomly divided into 4 groups of 10 each, all undergonig resistance training and receiving, daily, a supplement of either zinc (50 mg zinc sulfate), magnesium (250 mg magnesium oxide), or zinc plus magnesium (50 mg zinc sulfate plus 250 mg magnesium oxide), or no supplement (control group). All the subjects had a history of sports activity. Blood samples were collected and 1-RM was measured at the beginning and after 8weeks. Results: Independent and paired-sample t-test showed that zinc, magnesium and zinc plus magnesium supplements had no statistically significant effects on the strength of lower body muscles. However, the magnesium supplement had a significant positive effect on the strength of upper body muscles (chest, back, as well as back and hand bending muscles). In addition, the zinc and zinc plus magnesium supplements affected significantly the strength of the back and hand bending muscles. Further analysis of the data showed that the zinc plus magnesium supplement had no significant effect on the serum zinc and magnesium concentrations. Conclusion:Dietary supplementation with zinc, magnesium and zinc plus magnesium can effect desirably the upper body muscles strength in active women. Keywords: Sports nutrition, Supplementation, Resistance training, Zinc, Magnesium

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Background and objectives: Regarding the important effect of zinc on normal body functions and individual health status, this study was conducted to show the daily per capita zinc intake, major food sources of zinc, prevalence of inadequate intake among Iranian rural and urban households. Material and methods: In this analytical cross sectional study, food consumption data of 7158 households at national level was collected during one year period 2000-2001. To minimize the impact of season the survey took place in 4 seasons for each of the provinces. Food consumption data was collected through household interviews using 24 hour recall questionnaire for three consecutive days with a combined method of recall and weighing. Mean per capita energy and nutrient daily requirement were calculated using FAO/WHO RNIs (2001). Zinc content of 5 common Iranian flat breads and 2 major varieties of rice were measured with direct analytical method. IZiNCG EAR- cut point method was used to determine the adequacy of zinc intake and the prevalence of zinc deficiency at national level. Results: Total mean intake of zinc was 10.3±3.1, and in urban and rural areas were 10.3±3.0 and 10.7±3.3 mg/per capita/day, respectively. In comparison to requirements based on diets with low and moderate bioavailability 79% and 158% of FAOWHO RNI for zinc were provided respectively. Bread (38.5%), rice (12.2%) and red meat (10.8%) were the major food sources of zinc. Inadequate intakes of zinc based on IZiNCG-EAR values for unrefined plant based diets, indicates that prevalence of zinc deficiency is a public health problem and based on mixed or refined plant based diets, percentage of households in both regions with inadequate zinc intakes were reported in less than 25% of the population. Conclusion: Approximately ¼ of Iranian households are zinc deficient. Determining the level of zinc bioavailability in Iranian diets is essential for precise assessment of zinc intake and selecting the appropriate requirement standards. Keywords: Zinc, Food consumption pattern, Nutrient adequacy, Iranian households

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Background and Objectives: Nowadays, consumption of meat products such as sausages has been increased. Studies have shown that meat products can contain heavy metals like lead and cadmium. Therefore, a measurement of toxic heavy metals in sausages is necessary. The purpose of this study was to measure the lead, cadmium, iron and zinc levels in sausages presented in the retail markets of Tehran.
Materials and Methods: Six types of sausages (German, Koktel, Hot dog, Lioner or Martadella, Dry and Ham) supplied in the chain stores and some of supermarkets in ten districts of Tehran were tested for determination of lead, cadmium, iron and zinc levels. The samples were prepared by wet digestion method and were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry.
Results: The lead content of the tested products was 48.78 ppb. The amount of lead in German sausage was significantly higher than in other products. The amount of cadmium in all samples was 5.6 ppb. The level of iron and zinc was 18.10 and 14.65 ppm, respectively. Zinc content in dry sausages and ham was higher than in other products.
Conclusion: The amount of lead and cadmium in all the tested products was lower than the limit specified by the Codex. Considering the amount of consumption of meat products in Tehran, the amount of lead and cadmium intake was 9.24 and 1.05 µg/week, respectively, which is much less than that recommended by JECFA.