Effect of Zinc Treatment on Gonadal Dysfunction in Hemodialysis Patients

Zinc deficiency may account for the persistence of gonadal dysfunction in a majority of uremic men despite adequate dialysis treatment. Twenty nine hemodialyzed men having sexual dysfunction were selected and randomly divided into control and treatment groups (12 and 17 patients) respectively. Zinc acetate at 200 mg and CuSO4 2 mg were given orally per day for 8 months to patients in the treatment group. At the end of the study, significant increases in the mean serum levels of serum zinc (54 ± 2 g/dL to 76 ± 3 g/dL p<0.01), serum copper (89 ± 3 g/dL to 123 ± 7 g/dL p<0.01) and testosterone (4.8 ± 0.39 ng/mL to 6.2 ± 0.45 ng/mL p<0.01) were observed. A significant increase in follicle-stimulating hormone-FSH (10.0 ± 1.80 mIU/mL to 6.0 ± 1.34 mIU/mL p<0.01) and in luteinizing hormone-LH (16.0 ± 3.17 mIU/mL to 6.7 ± 1.42 mIU/mL p<0.01) were observed in the zinc receiving group. Eight of 17 patients in the treatment group revealed an improvement in sexual activities (p<0.05), while no alterations were observed in their counterparts in the control group. Likewise no significant changes of the trace elements and hormones were not found in the latter group.