Oral zinc supplementation in Anorexia Nervosa

Autor: Soodabeh Safai-Kutti
Rok vydání: 1990
Předmět:
Zdroj: Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica. 82:14-17
ISSN: 1600-0447
0001-690X
DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1990.tb10747.x
Popis: There is evidence to suggest that zinc (Zn) deficiency may be involved in the pathogenesis of anorexia nervosa (AN). In an open study of 20 females, aged 14-26 years, afflicted with AN the effect of oral zinc supplementation was investigated. In each case the diagnosis of AN was based on the criteria of DSM-III-R. After a careful history, complete physical examination and laboratory screening the subjects were started on 45-90 mg of Zn2+, as zinc sulfate, (SolvezinkR, Tika, Sweden) per day. During a follow-up period of 8-56 months 17 patients increased their body weight by more than 15%. The maximum gradual weight gain of 57% was encountered in one patient after 24 months of zinc therapy. The most rapid weight gain was recorded in a patient who increased her body weight by 24% over a period of 3 months. After the institution of zinc, weight loss was not registered in any of our patients. In 13 subjects the menstruation returned 1-17 months after the initiation of zinc therapy. None of our patients developed bulimia. The design of an ongoing multicenter placebo-controlled clinical trial of zinc supplementation to patients with AN is described.
Databáze: OpenAIRE