Zinc Supplementation Helps Prepubescent Children with Metabolic Syndrome

Zinc ain't for bodybuilders, only! In a double blind placebo controlled crossover study Kelishadi et al. (Kelishadi. 2010) supplemented prepubescent obese children with metabolic syndrome with 20mg of elemental zinc to evaluate the effects of zinc supplementation on anthropometric measures and blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, lipid profile, insulin, apolipoproteins A-1 (ApoA-I) and B, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), leptin, oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL), and malondialdehyde:

Irrespective of the order of receiving zinc and placebo, in both groups, significant decrease was documented for Apo B/ApoA-I ratio, ox-LDL, leptin and malondialdehyde, total and LDL-cholesterol after receiving zinc without significant change after receiving placebo. In groups, hs-CRP and markers of insulin resistance decreased significantly after receiving zinc, but increased after receiving placebo. In both groups, the mean body mass index (BMI) Z-score remained high, after receiving zinc, the mean weight, BMI, BMI Z-score decreased significantly, whereas these values increased after receiving placebo.

So, if you do want to do you or your obese children a favor, I suggest, you go grab some zinc supplements. BUT, do not overdo it; as with all good things, too much of a good thing may actually be bad for you, cf. "Zinc, all that glitters is not gold".