Zinc and the elderly.

It is frequent in the elderly a zinc deficit, for many causes, which frequently occur in old age. Mineral deficit cause humoral and cellular immunity depression, with large increase of susceptibility to infections and increase of morbidity and mortality; besides it increases the proteinic malnutrition so frequent in old people. This condition is particularly presented in surgical patients and in patients undergoing total parenteral nutrition, when not specifically zinc supplemented. The evaluation of plasmatic zinc for diagnostic aims is scarcely significant, because hypoproteinemia (above all, hypoalbuminemia) is constantly present in old people: more useful and important is the leucocytic mineral evaluation, particularly in polymorphonuclear neutrophils. The average of recommended daily allowance of zinc is 15 mg for elderly people.