Serum zinc concentration is inversely associated with insulin resistance but not related with metabolic syndrome in nondiabetic Korean adults.

Abstract

Although zinc was known to be associated with insulin metabolism and diabetes,

the relationship of serum zinc concentration with insulin resistance (IR) and

metabolic syndrome (MetS) was not well investigated in general population. The

aim of this study is to evaluate the relationships of serum zinc concentration

with IR and MetS in a nondiabetic adult population. This cross-sectional study

included 656 men and 825 women who were nondiabetic adults from the fifth Korea

National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted in 2010. Serum zinc

concentration and metabolic parameters were measured. IR was estimated by

homeostatic model assessment (HOMA2). MetS was defined according to the National

Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. Serum zinc

concentration was negatively correlated with homeostasis model assessment for

insulin resistance (HOMA2-IR) in men (r = -0.104, P = 0.008), but not in women.

After adjusting for conventional cardiovascular risk factors, the inverse

correlation was significant in both men and women (B = -0.262, SE = 0.060 for

men, and B = -0.129, SE = 0.052 for women). However, serum zinc concentration was

not different between the groups with and without MetS (P = 0.752 for men and P =

0.371 for women). In conclusion, serum zinc concentration was inversely

associated with IR but not related to MetS in nondiabetic adult population.