Long-term zinc and iron supplementation in children of short stature: effect of growth and on trace element content in tissues.

What Was Tested

This randomized controlled trial looks at Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc.

Before and after supplementation, the researchers measured the concentrations of iron, transferrin, ferritin, zinc and copper in serum, of zinc in erythrocytes and leukocytes, and of zinc, copper and selenium in hair, as well as glutathione peroxidase activity in erythrocytes.

Who Took Part

By PubMed's age tags, the people studied were young children and children, both men and women.

How the Study Was Run

In design terms this was a randomized and placebo-controlled study.

Random assignment meant chance, not the researchers, decided who got Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc and who got the comparison, which limits bias.

The comparison arm used a placebo, so changes seen with Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc could be set against what happens without it.

What Was Measured

Before and after supplementation, the researchers measured the concentrations of iron, transferrin, ferritin, zinc and copper in serum, of zinc in erythrocytes and leukocytes, and of zinc, copper and selenium in hair, as well as glutathione peroxidase activity in erythrocytes.

The subject headings attached to it are Age Determination by Skeleton, Anthropometry, Body Height, Copper, Dietary Supplements, Erythrocytes and Ferritins.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized and placebo-controlled study of Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc.

The publication is from 1999 (Journal of trace elements in medicine and biology : organ of the Society for Minerals and Trace Elements (GMS)), a journal based in Germany.

More context: the Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc compound page, all human trials.