Zinc supplements improved cognitive performance in adolescents

April, 2005

Seventh graders given 20 mg zinc, five days per week, for 10 to 12 weeks showed improvement in cognitive performance, responding more quickly and accurately on memory tasks and with more sustained attention, than classmates who received no additional zinc. Those who received only 10mg a day did not improve their performance. Previous studies have linked zinc nutrition to motor, cognitive and psychosocial function in very young children and adults, but this is the first study of its effect in adolescents. Adolescents are at particular risk of zinc deficiency, because they are undergoing rapid growth and often have poor eating habits. Red meats, fish and grains are good sources of zinc.

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The findings were presented at Experimental Biology 2005, as part of the scientific sessions of the American Society of Nutritional Sciences.

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