Zinc supplementation for the promotion of growth and prevention of infections in infants less than six months of age.

Study answer

What this study found

Zinc supplementation alone, and zinc combined with riboflavin, may improve infant growth and raise serum zinc levels, but evidence for infection prevention, mortality, and safety was limited. In one larger trial, zinc improved weight after 6 months (SMD 0.16 [0.00, 0.31]), weight-for-age z-score (MD 0.16 [0.07, 0.25]), and weight-for-length z-score (SMD 0.15 [0.02, 0.28]), while length was smaller and less consistent (SMD 0.07 [−0.08, 0.23]). Serum zinc increased in several trials, including 23.07 umol/L vs 15.79 umol/L at 6 months in one study (P<0.0001) and 18.4 (16.8–23) umol/L vs 15.3…

Study & population

Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials in healthy, term infants under 6 months of age, predominantly breastfed, with studies conducted in developing countries and at least one developed country.

Intervention

Zinc was given orally to infants in multiple randomized trials, most commonly as zinc sulfate 5 mg to 10 mg elemental zinc per day for 6 months; one trial used zinc 5 mg daily combined with riboflavin for 12 months.

Key limitation

Evidence was based on a small number of trials with varying doses, durations, ages, and settings, limiting consistency and generalizability.

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Original abstract