Journal of trace elements in medicine and biology : organ of the Society for Minerals and Trace Elements | 2021
Zinc status is independently related to the bone mineral density, fracture risk assessment tool result, and bone fracture history: Results from a U.S. nationally representative survey.
Abstract
PURPOSE\nPrevious reports have identified the important role of zinc in bone health. Although the risk of zinc deficiency is still a concern in the U.S., there has never been an in-depth study of the association between zinc status and bone health in a sample representing the country.\n\n\nMETHODS\nWe included 2,895 subjects (aged ≥ 40 years) from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2013-2014 to explore the relationship among three biomarkers of zinc (serum, food, and total intake), the bone mineral density (BMD) of the total spine and femur, the FRAX® scores, and the previous history of bone fractures.\n\n\nRESULTS\nWe showed a one-unit increase in the ln-serum zinc level was associated with an increase in the total spine BMD (ß\u2009=\u20090.068; S.E.\u2009=\u20090.028; P\u2009=\u2009 0.030) and total femur BMD (ß = 0.061; S.E. = 0.017; P\u2009=\u2009 0.003), while a one-unit increase in the ln-food zinc intake amount was correlated with an increase in the total femur BMD in the participants (ß = 0.023; S.E. = 0.009; P\u2009=\u2009 0.021). The ln-total zinc intake amount was correlated with an increase in the total femur BMD in women (ß = 0.016; S.E. = 0.007; P\u2009=\u2009 0.041). We also found food zinc intake was negatively correlated with the FRAX® score, while increased levels of all three zinc biomarkers were associated with a decreased incidence of previous bone fractures.\n\n\nCONCLUSIONS\nIn this representative survey of American adults above 40 years old, higher zinc status was associated with higher total spine and femoral BMD, lower FRAX® scores, and lower incidence of previous fractures. If this finding is causal, increased zinc intake remains an important issue for Americans.