(P11-042-23) Metabolomic Associations With Zinc Supplementation in Tanzanian Infants: A Randomized Pilot Trial

Objectives: To examine whether daily zinc supplementation influences changes in metabolomic profiles from age of 6 weeks to 6 months in Tanzania infants.

Methods: Using samples from a randomized placebo-controlled trial, we evaluated the effects of daily oral zinc supplementation (5 mg) on metabolomic profiles in Tanzanian infants ages 6 weeks to 6 months. Plasma samples were collected for metabolomic analysis using ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectroscopy (UPLC-MS/MS) platform. Two-way repeated measures ANOVAs with compound symmetry covariance structures were used to compare metabolome levels over time between infants in the two treatment arms.

Results: Metabolomic analysis showed that zinc supplementation affected a variety of metabolites associated with amino acid, lipid, nucleotide, and xenobiotics metabolism, including tryptophan, tyrosine, fatty acid, secondary bile acid, and purine metabolism in infants. Compared to the relatively small number of metabolites associated with zinc supplements, our analysis showed significant changes in many infant metabolites from age 6 weeks to 6 months. Results from principal component analysis demonstrated a similar pattern, in that the study samples tended to be more separated by age (6 weeks versus 6 months) than zinc supplements or placebo.

Conclusions: Zinc supplementation in infancy is associated with changes in various blood metabolites. The several metabolomic markers identified might shed light on the effects and biological mechanisms of zinc supplementation.

Funding Sources: The analyses undertaken in this study were funded by National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) under 5R21DK123636. The parent randomized trial was funded by R01 HD048969.