What does zinc do for older adults?

Ensuring adequate zinc consumption by older adults could have a significant impact on reducing the incidence of infection, according to a study co-authored by a School of Public Health researcher.

bu.edu - Zinc Supplement Boosts Immunity in Older Adults | SPH - Boston University

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Ensuring adequate zinc consumption by older adults could have a significant impact on reducing the incidence of infection, according to a study co-authored by a School of Public Health researcher. In a study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers examined the effects of increasing serum zinc concentrations in elderly nursing home residents through zinc supplements. The 25 study participants were given either zinc supplements or a placebo for three months. The researchers found that zinc supplementation improved the number and function of T-cells, important to the immune system. The increase of serum zinc rose higher in the treatment group, at a rate of 16 percent, compared to those in the control group. For those in the treatment group who were moderately zinc-sufficient at baseline, their serum zinc levels exceeded that cut-off standard after three months. Participants in the treatment group whose serum levels were measured as substantially zinc-deficient at baseline did not experience an increase to normal levels during the trial. Davidson Hamer, professor of global health and of medicine at the School of Medicine, was a co-author on the new study. He is an adjunct researcher in the Nutritional Immunology Lab at the HNRCA. Zinc is found in a wide variety of foods, including oysters, pork, red meat, poultry, seafood, and fortified breakfast cereals. Zinc is also found in beans, nuts, whole grains, and dairy products and is common in multi-vitamins. Too much zinc (the upper limit for adults is 40 mg/day) can be harmful, research has found.

—Lisa Chedekel

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Can zinc supplements cause blood clots?

There is a lot of evidence linking zinc to blood clotting. Zinc is released from cells called platelets that control blood clotting, and scientists have found unwanted blood clots can form when zinc levels in the blood are faulty.

bhf.org.uk - Studying the role of zinc in blood clotting - BHF

Studying the role of zinc in blood clotting

Characterisation of zinc-dependent heparin neutralisation by fibrinogen and histidine-rich glycoprotein (Ms Amelie Sobczak)

Dr Alan Stewart (lead researcher)

University of St Andrews

Start date: 27 October 2015 (Duration 3 years)

Supervised by Dr Alan Stewart, the PhD student on this project is studying how zinc is involved in blood clot formation and if zinc is important for why some heparin-based drugs do not work. There is a lot of evidence linking zinc to blood clotting. Zinc is released from cells called platelets that control blood clotting, and scientists have found unwanted blood clots can form when zinc levels in the blood are faulty. Also, histidine-rich glycoprotein (HRG) and fibrinogen, which are proteins in the blood that stop the action of natural anti-clotting factors called heparins, depend on zinc to work. Heparin molecules vary in size. Short sized heparin-based drugs are currently used to treat problems with clotting. These are more effective than other types of heparin, but we don’t currently understand why. Dr Stewart has found that zinc affects the ability of HRG to prevent different types of heparin from working. But less is known about how zinc controls fibrinogen. In this project, the PhD student will establish how effectively HRG and fibrinogen stop heparins from working at amounts of zinc found in healthy people and people with heart disease. This work is enhancing our knowledge of how zinc controls blood clot formation and may explain why some heparin-based drugs are not effective at treating blood clots.

Project details

Grant amount £116,080 Grant type Fellowships Application type PhD Studentship Start Date 27 October 2015 Duration 3 years Reference FS/15/42/31556 Status Complete

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