Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, several drugs and supplements have been studied for the treatment and/or prevention of the disease and, among them, is zinc.

Zinc is an essential mineral for the human body as it plays the role of co-factor in more than 300 enzymatic reactions, in addition to being involved in immunological processes and in communication, proliferation, differentiation and maintenance of cell life. Due to this wide variety of physiological actions, zinc has been studied as a therapeutic alternative to COVID-19 (1,2).

Some studies with a small number of evaluated individuals indicated that there could be some kind of benefit in the use of zinc together with other medications in the treatment of COVID-19 (3). Still, it is important to emphasize that the National Institute of Health (NIH), the main health agency in the United States and one of the most recognized in the world, does not recommend that zinc be used in the treatment of the disease due to the number of studies that demonstrate that its use is not effective (4).

Although there is no scientifically proven benefit from the use of zinc in the treatment of COVID-19, an imbalance in the physiological concentration of this mineral can lead to several other complications. Zinc deficiency is associated with delayed wound healing, compromised taste, loss of appetite, hair loss, fertility problems and reduced immune function (5). On the other hand, excess zinc can cause neurological, respiratory, gastrointestinal and systemic changes, such as copper deficiency (6).

Biotécnica offers an excellent option for dosing zinc in the proportion of 4 parts of R1 to 1 part of R2, in addition to having the calibration standard included in the kit. Another advantage of our product is the linearity that comprises the range of values from 47.54 to 819.73 mg/dL, in addition to being easily programmed in most biochemical analyzers available on the market.

Our tip is that the laboratory implement our kit in its routine and carry out work together with prescribers to publicize the importance of evaluating this mineral in the patients' routine. It is an opportunity for laboratories that serve prescribers such as endocrinologists, nutritionists and nutritionists.

For more information, contact Biotécnica using our social networks or our website, we will be ready to assist you.

References:

1. Sanna A, Firinu D, Zavattari P, Valera P. Zinc Status and Autoimmunity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients. 2018 Jan 11;10(1):68. doi: 10.3390/nu10010068. PMID: 29324654; PMCID: PMC5793296.
2. Read SA, Obeid S, Ahlenstiel C, Ahlenstiel G. The Role of Zinc in Antiviral Immunity. Adv Nutr. 2019 Jul 1;10(4):696-710. doi: 10.1093/advances/nmz013. PMID: 31305906; PMCID: PMC6628855.
3. Derwand R, Scholz M, Zelenko V. COVID-19 outpatients: early risk-stratified treatment with zinc plus low-dose hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin: a retrospective case series study. Int J Antimicrob Agents. 2020 Dec;56(6):106214. doi: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2020.106214. Epub 2020 Oct 26. PMID: 33122096; PMCID: PMC7587171.
4. https://www.covid19treatmentguidelines.nih.gov/supplements/zinc/ accessed 05/17/2021.
5. https://bestpractice.bmj.com/topics/pt-br/1195 accessed on 17/05/2021.
6. Plum LM, Rink L, Haase H. The essential toxin: impact of zinc on human health. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2010 Apr;7(4):1342-65. doi: 10.3390/ijerph7041342. Epub 2010 Mar 26. PMID: 20617034; PMCID: PMC2872358.