Zinc intake and risk of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis: a prospective cohort study
Ashwin N. Ananthakrishnan, Hamed Khalili, Mingyang Song, Leslie M. Higuchi, James M. Richter, Andrew Tan Chan · International Journal of Epidemiology (2015)
TL;DR
Higher zinc intake is linked to a lower risk of Crohn's disease in women, but it does not appear to change the risk of ulcerative colitis.
What they did
Researchers tracked 170 776 women over 26 years. The participants filled out food surveys every 4 years to record what they ate. Doctors checked medical records to find new cases of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
What they found
During the study, researchers found 269 cases of Crohn’s disease and 338 cases of ulcerative colitis over 3 317 550 person-years. Daily zinc intake ranged from 9 mg/day in the lowest group to 27 mg/day in the highest group. Women with the highest food zinc intake had a lower risk of Crohn’s disease, with a hazard ratio of 0.63 compared to the lowest group. Zinc intake did not change the risk of ulcerative colitis.
Why it matters
Studies suggest that getting zinc from everyday meals may support gut health. Higher zinc intake is linked to a lower risk of Crohn’s disease in women. Choosing foods with zinc may offer different benefits than taking pills.
Limits
The abstract only looked at women and does not discuss study limits. This is general education, not medical advice.
Jargon explained
- Crohn's disease
- A long-term condition that causes swelling and irritation in the digestive tract.
- Ulcerative colitis
- A long-term disease that causes swelling and sores in the lining of the large intestine.
- Hazard ratio
- A number comparing how often a health event happens in one group compared to another.
Read the original: https://doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyv301
Full citation
Ashwin N. Ananthakrishnan, Hamed Khalili, Mingyang Song, Leslie M. Higuchi, James M. Richter, Andrew Tan Chan (2015). Zinc intake and risk of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis: a prospective cohort study. International Journal of Epidemiology. DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyv301
Open access (green): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/5156337
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Educational information only, not medical or dietary advice. Consult a qualified health professional for personal nutrition guidance.