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Effect of Milk and Lactose on Zinc Absorption in Lactose-Intolerant Postmenopausal Women¹

Clinical Nutrition Research Center, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637 and Nutrient Bioavailability Laboratory, USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111

We evaluated the effect of lactose intolerance on intestinal zinc absorption under various test conditions in a group of postmenopausal women. Fractional zinc absorption was studied with a dual-isotope technique using ⁶⁵Zn and ⁵¹Cr (as nonabsorbable fecal markers). We performed four absorption tests on sixteen subjects with water (control), whole cow milk, lactose-free cow milk and lactose alone. Mean (± SEM) fractional zinc absorption was 0.558 ± 0.032 with water, 0.276 ± 0.031 with milk, 0.246 ± 0.028 with lactose-free milk and 0.564 ± 0.051 with lactose. No significant differences in zinc absorption were found under any of the test conditions between lactose-tolerant and lactose-intolerant subjects. Milk and lactose-free milk significantly reduced zinc absorption in both groups.

KEY WORDS: • zinc absorption • postmenopausal women • lactose intolerance • milk consumption • dietary zinc intake • elderly

¹ Supported in part by a grant from the National Dairy Promotion Board administered in cooperation with the National Dairy Council.

² To whom reprint requests should be addressed, at Nutrient Bioavailability Laboratory, USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, 711 Washington St., Boston, MA 02111.

Manuscript received 4 August 1987. Revision accepted 16 March 1988.