Evaluation of the effect of Zinc therapy on sex hormones in patients with β-Thalassemia major and Zinc deficiency

History and Considering the incidence of? -thalassemia major and the presence of hypogonadism in affected individuals and the absence of the effect of dysferal on Zinc level and the significance of Zinc in spermatogenesis, this study was carried out to determine the effect of Zinc therapy on hypophyseal-gonadal axis in patients with? -thalassemia major and Zinc deficiency in 1996. The clinical trial and two-blind strategy of this study was conducted on 23 male and female patients with an age range of 14-18 years. They were randomly divided into control and case groups. Case group received 25-mg capsules and control group received its vapor for 3 months. LHRH test was done before and after Zinc therapy and hormonal responses were recorded at minutes 0, 30 and 60. Four patients were excluded from the study and the research was conducted on 19 patients including 9 cases in control group and 10 cases in case group. In case group, Zinc level increased from 15±6 µg/dl to 120±49 µg/dl (P<0.001), but there was no such increase in the placebo group. In addition, there was no increase for FSH and LH level after treatment in both groups. Conclusion and Recommendations: It is concluded that Zinc therapy for three months could not affect the response of hypophyseal-gonadal axis. It is strongly recommended to conduct researches whether Zinc deficiency may lead to irreversible damages or Zinc is not the only factor responsible for hypogonadism.