Bioavailability of zinc from zinc-histidine complexes. II. Studies on patients with liver cirrhosis and the influence of the time of application.

Supplementation may benefit patients with liver cirrhosis. Zinc uptake from zinc-histidine complex 1:2 was assessed in eight patients with liver cirrhosis. Influence of the time of application was also studied. Compared with healthy controls, patients showed a 40% lower uptake of zinc after 20 mg zinc from zinc histidine. Bioavailability was identical when zinc was taken 6 h or 1 h before a meal but an order of magnitude greater than with or 1 h after a meal. No significant increase of serum zinc was found when zinc was given with a meal or 1 h after. Lower doses of zinc-histidine complexes than of zinc sulfate may be used to supplement patients with liver cirrhosis. Time of application is of great importance if this substitution is to be successful.