Zinc & Covid-19

Zinc is no COVID-19 magic bullet, but it has shown to help with other coronaviruses - Todd Neff

Zinc & Covid-19

image by: Aynor Family Pharmacy

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More Studies Shed Light on the Value of Zinc in Covid-19

Zinc is the second most common trace mineral in our bodies and affects all organs and cells. It is a micronutrient needed for metabolism, our sense of taste and smell and especially key during times of rapid growth, such as pregnancy, infancy, childhood, and puberty. Zinc deficiency is associated with impaired growth, slower wound healing and increased susceptibility to infections like the common cold.

“It’s very clear: If you are zinc deficient, your immune system will not function as well,” said Dr. David Hafler, professor of neurology and immunobiology at Yale School of Medicine.

Zinc’s importance wasn’t always so clear. In the 1960s, a hematologist named Dr. Ananda S. Prasad…

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Resources

Coronavirus: To zinc or not to zinc?

“In my experience as a virologist and pathologist, zinc will inhibit the replication of many viruses, including coronaviruses. I expect COVID-19 will be inhibited similarly, but I have no direct experimental support for this claim. I must add, however, that using zinc lozenges as directed by the manufacturer is no guarantee against being infected by the virus, even if it inhibits the viral replication in the nasopharynx.”

Effect of High-Dose Zinc and Ascorbic Acid Supplementation vs Usual Care on Symptom Length and Reduction Among Ambulatory Patients With SARS-CoV-2 Infection

In this randomized clinical trial of 214 patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection receiving outpatient care, there was no significant difference in the duration of symptoms among the 4 groups.

The Implications of Zinc Therapy in Combating the COVID-19 Global Pandemic

Even though available data on the direct effect of zinc and COVID-19 is still rare, its antiviral effect has been proven against other viral diseases. This pattern was evident on viral infections through several modulation pathways such as fusion, replication, viral protein translation, viral particle entry, especially those involving respiratory system pathology.

The Potential Impact of Zinc Supplementation on COVID-19 Pathogenesis

In this perspective, we reviewed the most important literature on the role of zinc homeostasis during viral infections, focusing on the potential benefits of zinc supplementation to prevent and treat SARS-CoV2 infections. Although data specifically on SARS-CoV2 are unfortunately still pending and randomized controlled studies have not been conducted, the enumerated evidence from the literature strongly suggests great benefits of zinc supplementation.