Effect of vitamin A and zinc supplementation on gastrointestinal parasitic infections among Mexican children.

What Was Tested

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

Gastrointestinal parasites continue to be an important cause of morbidity and stunting among children in developing countries.

The researchers evaluated the effect of vitamin A and zinc supplementation on infections by Giardia lamblia, Ascaris lumbricoides, and Entamoeba histolytica.

Who Took Part

According to the abstract, 707 children were involved.

The age groups tagged for this paper are children.

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted among 707 children who were 6 to 15 months of age and from periurban areas of Mexico City, Mexico, between January 2000 and May 2002.

How the Study Was Run

The researchers set it up as a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study.

The children were allocated by chance, so the Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc group and the comparison group should start out alike.

Neither the children nor the staff measuring them knew who was on Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc, so expectations could not easily colour the readings.

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

The subject headings attached to it are Ascariasis, Ascaris lumbricoides, Diarrhea, Dietary Supplements, Entamoebiasis, Giardiasis and Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study of Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc in 707 children.

With several hundred people or more, it is a fairly large study for this kind of research.

The abstract goes on to report its results in about 6 sentences; this page does not restate them, so read the paper for the findings and their limits.

The publication is from 2007 (Pediatrics), a journal based in United States.

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