Zinc: an essential micronutrient.
- 1 May 2009
- journal article
- Vol. 79 (9), 768-72
Abstract
Zinc is an essential micronutrient for human metabolism that catalyzes more than 100 enzymes, facilitates protein folding, and helps regulate gene expression. Patients with malnutrition, alcoholism, inflammatory bowel disease, and malabsorption syndromes are at an increased risk of zinc deficiency. Symptoms of zinc deficiency are nonspecific, including growth retardation, diarrhea, alopecia, glossitis, nail dystrophy, decreased immunity, and hypogonadism in males. In developing countries, zinc supplementation may be effective for the prevention of upper respiratory infection and diarrhea, and as an adjunct treatment for diarrhea in malnourished children. Zinc in combination with antioxidants may be modestly effective in slowing the progression of intermediate and advanced age-related macular degeneration. Zinc is an effective treatment for Wilson disease. Current data do not support zinc supplementation as effective for upper respiratory infection, wound healing, or human immunodeficiency virus. Zinc is well tolerated at recommended dosages. Adverse effects of long-term high-dose zinc use include suppressed immunity, decreased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, anemia, copper deficiency, and possible genitourinary complications.This publication has 37 references indexed in Scilit:
- Dietary Supplements in a National Survey: Prevalence of Use and Reports of Adverse EventsJournal of the American Dietetic Association, 2006
- The prophylactic and therapeutic effectiveness of zinc sulphate on common cold in childrenActa Paediatrica, 2006
- Antioxidant vitamin and mineral supplements for slowing the progression of age-related macular degenerationPublished by Wiley ,2006
- Zinc Supplement Use and Risk of Prostate CancerJNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 2003
- Effect of supplemental zinc on the growth and serum zinc concentrations of prepubertal children: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trialsThe American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2002
- Multicenter Randomized Comparative Double-Blind Controlled Clinical Trial of the Safety and Efficacy of Zinc Gluconate versus Minocycline Hydrochloride in the Treatment of Inflammatory Acne vulgarisDermatology, 2001
- Zinc and the EyeJournal of the American College of Nutrition, 2001
- Patients with Chronic Leg Ulcers Show Diminished Levels of Vitamins A and E, Carotenes, and ZincDermatologic Surgery, 1999
- Effects of long-term treatment in Wilson's disease withd-penicillamine and zinc sulphateZeitschrift für Neurologie, 1996
- Zinc Supplementation in Infants With a Nutritional Pattern of Failure to Thrive: A Double-Blind, Controlled StudyPEDIATRICS, 1989