The finding that high doses (160 mg) of zinc lowered high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol prompted us to study the effect of low-dose zinc supplementation on lipoprotein values in sedentary and endurance-trained men. Twenty-one endurance-trained and 23 sedentary men received either placebo or 50 mg of zinc sulfate daily for eight weeks. Despite the fact that plasma zinc increased 15%, fasting plasma high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol, total cholesterol, low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglyceride levels did not change in response to zinc ingestion. We conclude that low-dose zinc supplementation does not affect lipid or lipoprotein values in either endurance-trained or sedentary men.
(JAMA 1984;252:785-787)