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Abstract
Pubertal growth is characterized by high bone formation rates. Zinc (Zn), a trace mineral required for skeletal development, has been shown to augment bone formation during growth. Our laboratory found that supplementation over 4 weeks with 9 mg Zn/day increased the bone formation marker, N-terminal propeptide of type I procollagen (P1NP). The purpose of this study was to examine if a higher Zn dose, 24 mg/day, over 4 weeks would further increase P1NP, as well as insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) concentrations in healthy, non-obese, white females in sexual maturation breast stage 2/3 (N=39). Plasma Zn and serum P1NP, crosslinked telopeptide of type I collagen (bone resorption marker), and IGF-I were assessed. Over 4 weeks, Zn supplementation significantly increased plasma Zn, but not P1NP or IGF-I. This research shows that a high Zn dose of 24mg did not augment bone formation during pubertal growth.