Sonia Chandok

Publication Date

1987

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Mehta, Sudha

Degree Name

M.S. (Master of Science)

Legacy Department

Department of Human and Family Resources

LCSH

Zinc in the body; Diabetes; Sucrose; Copper in the body

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of feeding varying levels of sucrose to type II diabetic subjects on their urinary and blood levels of zinc and copper. Ten subjects hospitalized in the special diagnostic and treatment unit at Hines Veterans Administration Hospital participated in this study. After a controlled diet period of approximately 2 weeks (120 g sucrose), subjects were randomly assigned to either a low-sucrose diet (3 g) or a high-sucrose diet (220 g) for an experimental period of at least 4 weeks. Urinary samples were collected every day, for each subject, for the entire 6 weeks of the study. Blood samples were collected 2 to 3 times per week. Urine samples were analyzed for zinc and copper using a Jarrell Ash Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer and a Beckman DC-Plasma Spectraspan V, respectively. Zinc and copper levels in blood were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Dietary zinc and copper levels assessed from the tabulated data were below their respective RDAs. Statistical analysis of the data did not show significant changes in urinary zinc and copper levels between the control and experimental periods of each group, although urinary copper excretion was higher following the high-sucrose diet. Significant reduction in blood zinc and copper levels of the low-sucrose diet group can only be attributed to a low intake of zinc in the diet. No significant changes were observed in blood and copper levels following the low-sucrose or the high-sucrose diet. Thus, the results of this study suggested that a large intake of sucrose in the diet may affect copper status by increasing urinary excretion, but may not affect zinc levels in either blood or urine. As compared to the respective control periods, intake of the high-sucrose diet resulted in an increase in the mean urinary copper excretion, while intake of the low-sucrose diet resulted in a decrease in the mean urinary copper levels, in spite of low copper levels of both diets.

Comments

Bibliography: pages [49]-57.

Extent

81 pages

Language

eng

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

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