Zinc supplementation to patients with celiac disease--is it required?

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES This study was conducted to evaluate plasma levels of zinc in children with celiac disease, to correlate plasma zinc levels among the celiacs with short stature and diarrhea and to compare plasma zinc levels in deficient patients on gluten-free diet (GFD) with or without 4 weeks of zinc supplementation. METHODS A total of 134 patients underwent plasma zinc estimation at baseline and after a four week period. Zinc-deficient patients were randomly assigned to two groups. Group G (n = 48) received GFD without zinc supplementation, Group G + Z (n = 48) received GFD with zinc supplementation for 4 weeks. RESULTS The rise in plasma Zinc levels was significant in each group regardless of zinc supplementation but similar when compared in the two groups after 4 weeks. Mean zinc levels at baseline and increase in zinc levels were statistically similar at 4 weeks in patients with diarrhea and short stature. CONCLUSIONS Zinc levels rise with GFD irrespective of zinc supplementation.