Excessive intake of zinc impairs immune responses.
- 21 September 1984
- journal article
- Vol. 252 (11) , 1443-6
Abstract
The effect of administration of large amounts of zinc on immune response and serum lipoproteins was examined. Eleven healthy adult men ingested 150 mg of elemental zinc twice a day for six weeks. This was associated with a reduction in lymphocyte stimulation response to phytohemagglutinin as well as chemotaxis and phagocytosis of bacteria by polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Serum high-density lipoprotein concentration decreased significantly and low-density lipoprotein level increased slightly. The common food fad of zinc supplementation with resultant excessive intake could have deleterious effects in healthy persons.This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: