Zinc Deficiency: Improvement in Growth and Growth Hormone Levels with Oral Zinc Therapy

Abstract

A 14-year-old girl and a 13-year-old boy were found to be growth hormone deficient by insulin-arginine stimulation tests, and were also found to be zinc deficient. When oral zinc replacement was given, they both had a significant increase in growth rate which continued for at least 2 years, and subsequent growth hormone tests were normal.