Effect of exogenous phytase added to small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements (SQ-LNS) on the fractional and total absorption of zinc from a millet-based porridge consumed with SQ-LNS in young Gambian children: a randomized controlled trial.

What Was Tested

Researchers studied Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc in this randomized controlled trial publication.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of adding exogenous phytase to a small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplement (SQ-LNS) on zinc absorption among young children.

Why It Was Studied

Dietary phytate inhibits zinc absorption from composite meals in adults.

Who Took Part

According to the abstract, 30 children were involved.

The age groups tagged for this paper are infants, both men and women.

In a double-blind randomized controlled trial, intraindividual differences in fractional and total absorption of zinc (FAZ and TAZ, respectively) from a millet-based porridge containing SQ-LNS with and without phytase were measured in 30 asymptomatic children 18-23 mo of age in the Kiang West district of The Gambia.

How the Study Was Run

The design is described as randomized, double-blind and crossover.

Because people in this Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc study were split into groups at random, differences between the groups are less likely to reflect who happened to join each one.

As a double-blind Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc study, the assignments were hidden from both participants and investigators until the end.

Each person switched between Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc and the comparison at some point, usually with a gap in between.

The test meals were provided on consecutive days in randomized order.

FAZ was measured using a triple stable isotope tracer ratio technique with Zn-67 and Zn-70 as oral tracers and Zn-68 as the intravenous tracer.

What Was Measured

The subject headings attached to it are 6-Phytase, Dietary Supplements, Food Additives, Gambia, Lipid Metabolism, Lipids and Micronutrients.

The authors tagged it with the keywords absorption, phytate, small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplement, stable isotope, young children and zinc.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized, double-blind and crossover study of Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc in 30 children.

With fewer than 40 people, it is a small study, so it is better read as an early signal for further research than as a settled answer.

Its findings take up roughly 8 sentences of the abstract and are left out here on purpose; the source paper is the place to read them.

The publication is from 2019 (The American journal of clinical nutrition), a journal based in United States.

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