The effects of zinc supplementation on body fat mass in hemodialysis patients: An open-label randomized controlled trial

Introduction: Zinc deficiency is highly prevalent in HD patients. On the other hand, it remains unknown about the role of zinc in their nutritional status. Methods: We conducted an open-label randomized controlled trial. We investigated (i) the relationship between serum zinc levels and body composition and (ii) the effects of zinc supplementation on the composition of 48 HD patients with zinc deficiency. Results: Serum zinc levels were significantly correlated with body fat weight (p < 0.01), but not with nonfat tissue weight. Multiple regression analyses demonstrated that serum zinc levels were a significant independent predictor of body fat weight (p < 0.001). Furthermore, the weight of body fat significantly increased in the group that received 1-year zinc supplementation (p < 0.05), but not in the group that did not. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that zinc deficiency plays an important role in fat metabolism in HD patients with its deficiency.