Serum alkaline phosphatase and serum zinc levels in the diagnosis and exclusion of zinc deficiency in man

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Abstract
In the present study we monitored serum zinc (Zn) and serum alkaline phosphatase (AP) levels during Zn supplementation in (A) a young zinc depletion syndrome (ZDS) patient with severe Zn deficiency, (B) three acrodermatitis enteropathica (AEP) patients with mild Zn deficiency and (C) 7 elderly and 3 younger patients without Zn deficiency. In (A) serum Zn and serum AP values were low, but following parenteral Zn the parameters rose to normal levels (r = +0.79, p < 0.001). In (B) serum Zn and serum AP levels decreased when oral Zn was stopped, but shortly returned to normal upon reinitiation of Zn. In (C) Zn therapy caused a rise in the serum Zn concentration whereas the serum AP activity decreased (r = −0.01, p > 0.1). The results suggest that serial determinations of serum Zn and serum AP during Zn supplementation may be a valid tool in the diagnosis of severe and mild Zn deficiency as well as in the exclusion of the diagnosis.