ZINC STATUS AMONG SMOKERS AND NON-SMOKERS: RELATION TO OXIDATIVE STRESS

Abstract

Objective To assess zinc status in cigarette smokers and to ascertain the relationship betweenthe levels of serum zinc and oxidative stress.Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out at Azadi Teaching Hospital, Duhok, Iraq,from December 2007 to June 2008.The study included 254 apparently healthy males(127smokers and 127 non-smokers, aged 20-61 years), .Exclusion criteria were: a)mineralssupplements, b)medication, c) recent or chronic infections. All the participants were invitedfor medical health examination. Data were collected from subjects according to selfadministered questionnaire. Several biochemical parameters were estimated such as, serumzinc, serum antioxidant markers (ceruloplasmin and total glutathione), serum pro-oxidant byproducts (malondialdehyde and peroxynitrite), and dietary zinc intake.Results The percent of marginal zinc deficiency in smokers was significantly higher than thatof non-smokers (50.1% Vs 42.6%, p<0.05). Smokers had significantly highermalondialdehyde (1.6+0.5 nmol/L) and peroxynitrite (1.7+0.34 mmol/L) serum levels thanthat of non-smokers (1.2+0.1 nmol/L and 1.4+0.32 mmol/L respectively,(p<0.05) for bothparameters. Serum zinc, ceruloplasmin, and total glutathione levels, were not significantlydiffered between the two groups, whereas the percent of abnormally high levels of oxidativestress markers were significantly higher in smokers than in non-smokers(p<0.01). In respectto dietary zinc intake for smokers and non-smokers, no significant difference was found indaily dietary zinc intake for both groups (p=0.45).Conclusion This study demonstrated that cigarette smoking is associated with marginalhypozincemia which may render smokers more susceptible to oxidative stress.