The consumption of zinc through the diet is associated with a lower risk of deterioration of physical function and frailty syndrome in older people, according to a study carried out by a team from the Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM) and the CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP).
Zinc is a trace mineral with essential functions for human health. It intervenes in molecular mechanisms as a mediator of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory stress, so it could be a key nutrient in processes associated with unhealthy aging, such as the deterioration of physical function and frailty, partly caused by a state of low-grade inflammation .
For this reason, analyzing zinc consumption in relation to the deterioration of physical function and frailty is the objective of this prospective study, where information from 2,963 adults over 60 years of age from the Spanish Seniors-ENRICA cohort, begun in 2008, has been analyzed. -2010 and with the last follow-up carried out in 2017. The results have been recently published in the Journals of Gerontology: Series A Medical Science.
The results show that a higher intake of zinc through the usual diet was associated with a lower risk of impaired physical function and incident frailty after nine years of follow-up. Regarding the possible mechanisms involved in this association, the intervention of zinc in the modulation of signaling pathways for the production of inflammatory cytokines by protein A-20 and the regulation of zinc-binding proteins, such as the NRF2 factor or metallothioneins, stand out. , involved in the activation of gene expression of enzymes with antioxidant function that participate in the reduction of free radicals, and that in turn prevent inflammatory responses. Experimental studies show the reduction of inflammatory markers after zinc supplementation, so it is possible to suggest that the association found can be explained by these mechanisms.
Unhealthy diet and aging
The aging of the population worldwide is a major public health challenge. Specifically, impaired physical function and frailty are conditions that manifest unhealthy aging that can lead to disability and premature death. Therefore, the focus is on identifying specific dietary factors that may be associated with these conditions in order to design strategies focused on lifestyle that prevent or slow down physical deterioration in older people.
Verónica Vega-Cabello, Esther Lopez-Garcia and Ellen Struijk, lead authors of the work, indicate that these results suggest that an adequate and sufficient intake of zinc, which can be achieved through a healthy diet that includes foods rich in this nutrient, such as meats, cereals, milk and dairy products, could help preserve physical function in older people and contribute to healthy aging.
Source: CIBERESP
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