There is no convincing evidence that zinc supplementation to infants or children results in improved motor or mental development
BACKGROUND Zinc deficiency is a significant public health problem in low- and middle-income countries .
Zinc is essential for the formation and migration of neurons along with the formation of neuronal synapses .
Its deficiency could interfere with the formation of neural pathways and with neurotransmission , thus affecting behavior ( for example , attention , activity , engagement , temperament ) and development ( for example , gross and fine motor skills , social skills ) .
Zinc supplementation provided to infants and children is a possible strategy to improve the mental and motor development of infants and children at high risk of zinc deficiency .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of zinc supplementation compared to placebo on measures of psychomotor development or cognitive function in children .
Randomized trial of the effect of zinc supplementation on the mental health of school-age children in Guatemala.
BACKGROUND Rates of mental illness in children are increasing throughout the world . Observational studies of depression , anxiety , and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder suggest that zinc is an alternative treatment . OBJECTIVE We examined the effect of zinc supplementation on the mental health of school-age children in Guatemala . DESIGN From January to October 2006 , we conducted a 6-mo r and omized , double-blind , controlled trial comparing zinc supplementation ( 10 mg ZnO/d for 5 d/wk ) with a placebo ( 10 mg glucose ) in 674 Guatemalan children in grade s 1 - 4 . Outcome measures included internalizing ( ie , depression and anxiety ) and externalizing ( ie , hyperactivity and conduct disorder ) problem behaviors , positive behaviors ( ie , socialization and leadership ) , and serum zinc concentrations . RESULTS Zinc and placebo groups did not differ significantly in any behavioral measures at baseline or at follow-up . At baseline , 21.4 % of children had serum zinc concentrations < 65 μg/dL. At follow-up , both groups improved significantly , and zinc concentrations were higher in the zinc group . Increases in serum zinc concentrations were inversely associated with decreases in depressive symptoms ( estimate : -0.01 points per μg Zn/dL ; P = 0.01 ) , anxiety ( estimate : -0.012 points per μg Zn/dL ; P = 0.02 ) , internalizing symptoms ( estimate : -0.021 points per μg Zn/dL ; P = 0.02 ) , and social skills ( estimate : -0.019 points per μg Zn/dL ; P = 0.01 ) in adjusted models that were controlled for child age , sex , socioeconomic status , household , and treatment group . CONCLUSIONS Six months of zinc supplementation did not induce differences in mental health outcomes between zinc and placebo groups . However , increases in serum zinc concentrations were associated with decreases in internalizing symptoms ( ie , depression and anxiety ) in a community-based sample of children at risk of zinc deficiency . This trial was registered at clinical trials.gov as NCT00283660
There is no convincing evidence that zinc supplementation to infants or children results in improved motor or mental development
BACKGROUND Zinc deficiency is a significant public health problem in low- and middle-income countries .
Zinc is essential for the formation and migration of neurons along with the formation of neuronal synapses .
Its deficiency could interfere with the formation of neural pathways and with neurotransmission , thus affecting behavior ( for example , attention , activity , engagement , temperament ) and development ( for example , gross and fine motor skills , social skills ) .
Zinc supplementation provided to infants and children is a possible strategy to improve the mental and motor development of infants and children at high risk of zinc deficiency .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of zinc supplementation compared to placebo on measures of psychomotor development or cognitive function in children .