We explored the potential connection between dietary zinc intake and the risk of developing irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) through a large-scale analysis of participants from the UK Biobank. By assessing the dietary habits of 175,421 individuals who did not have IBS at the start of the study, we sought to understand how various levels of zinc, as well as copper and their ratio, might influence the onset of this troublesome condition.
Over an average follow-up period of 13.3 years, we observed that 2,240 participants were diagnosed with new-onset IBS. Notably, our findings revealed a U-shaped relationship between zinc intake and IBS incidence. For those consuming less than 10 mg of zinc per day, an increase in intake was linked to a decreased risk of IBS. Specifically, individuals taking less than 10 mg of zinc daily experienced a reduced risk with higher zinc consumption.
However, the relationship shifted for individuals who had higher intakes of copper and zinc; no significant benefits were noted when intakes reached or exceeded established thresholds. This suggests that there's a delicate balance to maintain when it comes to zinc and copper in the diet.
Importantly, subgroup analysis indicated that younger individuals, particularly those under 60, could benefit more from slight increases in zinc. Overall, our study highlights the significance of dietary management, emphasizing that reasonable zinc intake may contribute to lowering IBS risk while keeping copper and the copper/zinc ratio in a sensible range.