279 A RTÍCULO DE I NVESTIGACIÓN Rev Méd Chile 2006; 134: 279-284 Efecto de la administración oral de zinc sobre sensibilidad a la insulina y niveles séricos de leptina y andrógenos en hombres con obesidad Anel Gómez-García 1,2,3,a , Eduardo Hernández-Salazar 2,a , Manuel González-Ortiz 2,a,b , Esperanza M artínez-Abundis 2,a,b . Effect of oral zinc administration on insulin sensitivity, leptin and androgens in obese males Background: Zinc is important for insulin synthesis, storage and secretion. When zinc concentration decrease, there is a concomitant reduction in insulin secretion and peripheral insulin sensitivity Aim: To assess the effects of zinc sulfate on insulin sensitivity, leptin and androgens in obese individuals. Material and methods: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was performed in 14 obese volunteers between 21 and 30 years old, with body mass index (BMI) ≥ 27 kg/m2. During one month, seven subjects received 100 mg/day of zinc sulfate orally (ZnG) and the other seven received placebo, as control group (CG). At baseline and after the intervention, insulin sensitivity was measured using a euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp technique. Blood glucose, serum lipids, zinc, androgens and leptin were also measured in a fasting blood sample. Results: After the intervention, a rise in zinc concentrations from 11.8 to 16.9 umol/L; p=0.001 and in leptin levels from 15.2 to 27.7 ng/mL; p=0.029, was observed in the ZnG. No changes were observed in the CG. There were no significant changes in insulin sensitivity and androgens after the intervention with zinc sulfate. Conclusions: Zinc increased the leptin concentrations in obese individuals, but did not modify insulin sensitivity and androgens (Rev Méd Chile 2006; 134: 279-84). ( Key words: Hyperinsulinism; Insulin; Leptin. Recibido el 4 de agosto, 2004. Aceptado el 22 de agosto, 2005. Trabajo financiado en forma parcial por el Fondo de Fomento a la Investigación (FOFOI) del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social. 1 Centro Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Guadalajara. 2 Unidad de In- vestigación Médica en Epidemiología Clínica, Unidad Médica de Alta Especialidad, Hospital de Especialidades. Centro Médico Nacional de Occidente, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social. 3 Centro de Investigación Biomédica de Michoacán, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social. a Maestro en Ciencias b Doctor en Ciencias Correspondencia a: Dra. en C. Esperanza Martínez Abundis. Montes Urales 1409, Colonia Independencia. 44340. Guadalajara, México. Tel. +52 (33) 38267022. Fax: +52 (33) 36161218. E mail: uiec@prodigy.net.mx