Relationship between Serum Zinc and Leptin Concentrations in Postmenopausal Diabetic Women

Leptin, a hormone secreted by the adipocytes, plays a key role in a feedback loop that maintains energy balance by signaling the state of energy stores to the brain and by influencing the regulation of appetite and energy metabolism. Zinc (Zn) also plays an important role in appetite regulation. It has been shown that Zn deficiency decreases appetite and that Zn supplementation increases it. Our aim is to evaluate the relationship between serum Zn, and leptin in postmenopausal diabetic women.

We studied 45 diabetic women and 45 healthy women (controls) with Body Mass Index (BMI) 25-30 kg/m2 and age 45-60 y. Serum leptin, serum zinc, Tumor Necrosis Factor-α (TNF-α), and Interleukin-6 (IL-6) were determined in diabetic and healthy groups. Comparisons were performed with the t test in diabetic and healthy groups. Linear regression was used to evaluate the relations among different variables in the two groups.

There was a non-significant, negative correlation between serum leptin and zinc in postmenopausal diabetic women (r=-0. 14), and, a non-significant, positive correlation between serum leptin and zinc in postmenopausal healthy women (r= 0. 10). TNF-α and IL-6 have no significant effects on the relationship between serum zinc and leptin in postmenopausal diabetic and healthy women.

There was no significant relationship between serum leptin and zinc in postmenopausal diabetic women. The pathophysiological pathways by which zinc and leptin regulate energy intake and appetite and the detailed mechanism between them need to be further clarified by future studies.