Zinc Intervention Study

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Males and females ≥65 years of age.
2. More than 6 months life expectancy, in the judgment of their study physician.
3. Willing to be randomized to one of the treatment groups.
4. Able to swallow pills.
5. Not currently on antibiotics.
6. Subjects consuming DRI levels of supplements and willing to replace their supplement with our control supplement.
7. Supplements of calcium, vitamin D, and iron will be permitted.
8. Willing to receive influenza vaccine.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Anticipated transfer or discharge within three months of enrollment.
2. Bed- or room-bound continuously for the last three months.
3. Presence of lung neoplastic diseases or other active neoplastic diseases requiring chemotherapy and/or use of immunosuppressive drugs (including no more than 10 mg/day of prednisone).
4. Naso-gastric or other tube feeding.
5. Long-term intravenous or urethral catheters (30 days).
6. Presence of tracheostomy or chronically ventilator-dependent.
7. Consuming supplements containing more than the DRI level of nutrients known to affect the immune response, i.e. vitamins E, C, B6, selenium, zinc, or β -carotene and unwilling to stop.
8. Chronic prophylactic antibiotic treatment (low percent of subjects meeting other inclusion criteria). 9) Protein energy malnutrition defined as albumin < 3.0 g/dl and BMI <18 kg/m2.