Minerals
Zinc
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Zinc
See Also
Zinc Deficiency
Indications
Zinc Deficiency
Wilson Disease
Physiology
Absorbed in
Small Intestine
Functions
Cofact
or for polymerases and proteases (functions in
Wound Repair
, cell regeneration)
Cofact
or for thymulin (
T-Cell
maturation related hormone)
Antioxidant
Reduces
Cytokine
expression (associated with organ failure and
Sepsis
)
Precautions
Avoid intranasal zinc (risk of permanent
Loss of Smell
)
Adverse Effects
Gastrointestinal effects
Metallic Taste
Nausea
or
Vomiting
Abdominal cramping
Diarrhea
Genitourinary effects
Urinary Tract Infection
Nephrolithiasis
Miscellaneous effects
Decreased
HDL Cholesterol
Contraindications
Pregnancy and
Lactation
in excess of RDA (unless significant deficiency)
Preparations
Zinc Acetate: 25 mg (7.5 mg elemental zinc), 50 mg (15 mg elemental zinc)
Zinc Gluconate: 50 mg (7 mg elemental zinc), 100 mg (14 mg elemental zinc)
Zinc Sulfate: 110 mg (25 mg elemental zinc), 220 mg (50 mg elemental zinc)
Zinc Oxide
: 100 mg (80 mg elemental zinc)
Dosing
Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA)
Age 0-6 months: 2 mg elemental zinc
Age 7-36 months: 3 mg elemental zinc
Age 4-8: 5 mg elemental zinc
Age 9-13: 8 mg elemental zinc
Age 14 and older: 11 mg (men) or 8 mg (women) elemental zinc
Pregnancy and
Lactation
: 11-12 mg elemental zinc
Efficacy
Benefits
Zinc Deficiency
Wilson Disease
Brewer (1998) J Lab Clin Med 132(4): 264-78 [PubMed]
Efficacy
Possible Benefit
Pediatric Diarrhea
Zinc 5-20 mg orally daily
Lukacik (2008) Pediatrics 121(2): 326-36 [PubMed]
Macular Degeneration
(protection from oxidative stress)
Grahn (2001) J Am Coll Nutr 20:106-18 [PubMed]
Pediatric Pneumonia
Zinc supplementation associated with decreased mortality, shorter hospitalizations and fewer treatment failures
Greatest benefit appears to be in developing countries where
Zinc Deficiency
occurs frequently (30% of world population)
Basnet (2012) Pediatrics 129(4): 701-8 [PubMed]
Srinivasan (2012) BMC Med 10: 14 [PubMed]
Pregnancy
Zinc (25 mg) in
Prenatal Vitamin
s
Effects
Increased birth weight and
Head Circumference
Resulted in birth at later
Gestational age
Resulted in shorter hospital stay
Greatest benefit in thin women
Goldenberg (1995) JAMA 274:463-8 [PubMed]
Efficacy
Disproven Benefits
Wound Healing
Agren (2006) Wound Repair Regen 14(5): 526-35 [PubMed]
Upper Respiratory Infection
No consistent benefit with zinc preparations
Turner (2000) Clin Infect Dis 31:1202-8 [PubMed]
Human Immunodeficiency Virus
(unless significant
Zinc Deficiency
)
Bobat (2005) Lancet 366(9500): 1862-7 [PubMed]
Acne Vulgaris
Dreno (2001) Dermatology 203(2): 135-40 [PubMed]
Drug Interactions
Absorption decreased by zinc
Penicillamine
Tetracycline
s
Quinolone
s
Interfere with zinc absorption (avoid within 2 hours of zinc dose)
Iron
supplements
Grains or legumes (phytates)
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