INTRODUCTION
Zinc is primarily excreted from the organism in feces in amounts that
range from 0.04 to 0.298 mmol in a 24-h period. This is equivalent to
2.7–19.9 mg Zn excreted in 1 d. It is also excreted with urine (0.004–0.03
mmol/d) and in lesser amounts with perspiration (1).
Fecal zinc comes from two sources. One is dietary and the other is zinc
that gets into the gastrointestinal (GI) tract from pancreatic juices and bile.
Intestinal and pancreatic recirculation of zinc seems to be of great impor-