Skip to main content

Zinc supplementation boosts immune system in children, review finds

Zinc supplementation boosts immune system in children, review finds




Image result for vitamins and nuts

Zinc supplements reduce diarrhea and other infections in malnourished children, and may prevent death, according to a new study published in The Cochrane Library. The study is the first Cochrane systematic review to focus on zinc as a means to prevent childhood death, including deaths caused by diarrhea, one of the biggest killers of under-fives.
Zinc is a micronutrient with important roles in growth and in the immune, nervous and reproductive systems. The human body cannot make it, so it has to come from our diet. It is estimated that more than 1 in 6 people globally are deficient in zinc and that around 1 in every 58 deaths in children under five is related to zinc deficiency. Zinc deficiency is common in Southeast Asia, sub-Saharan Africa and parts of Latin America.
The authors were interested in whether zinc supplements could reduce childhood death and disease, and help support growth. They reviewed data from 80 trials involving 205,401 children aged six months to twelve years, mostly in low and middle income countries. Overall, they concluded that zinc supplementation could benefit children as part of wider programmes to address public health and nutrition challenges in these countries.
"We should remember that supplements are not a substitute for a well-balanced diet," said senior researcher Professor Zulfiqar Bhutta from the Center of Excellence in Women and Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan, and Sick Kids Center for Global Child Health, Toronto, Canada. "However, in countries where zinc deficiency is common, supplements may help to reduce child deaths and related diseases in the short-term."
Those children who took zinc were less likely to suffer a bout of diarrhea, and when the researchers looked at growth differences, they saw that children who were given zinc were slightly taller by the end of the trials compared to those who did not. However, healthy eating is more important for growth. "Eating foods with balanced energy and protein and multiple micronutrients would probably have a larger effect for many malnourished children," said Evan Mayo-Wilson, the lead author based at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, Maryland.
Although zinc supplements were associated with an increase in vomiting, the researchers think that overall the benefits of giving zinc outweigh the harms.
Dr David Tovey, Editor-in-Chief, Cochrane, said, "Policymakers in low and middle income countries need evidence that directly addresses the needs of their own health services. This comprehensive review makes a very valuable contribution to the evidence base around interventions may make an important contribution to improving Global Health."
Story Source:
Materials provided by Wiley. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Journal Reference:
  1. Evan Mayo-Wilson, Jean A Junior, Aamer Imdad, Sohni Dean, Xin Hui S Chan, Evelyn S Chan, Aneil Jaswal, Zulfiqar A Bhutta. Zinc supplementation for preventing mortality, morbidity, and growth failure in children aged 6 months to 12 years of age. The Cochrane Library, May 2014 DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD009384.pub2
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

B-group vitamins can improve concentration among people with first episode psychosis

B-group vitamins can improve concentration among people with first episode psychosis take vitamins today B-group vitamins may be beneficial for maintaining concentration skills among people experiencing a first episode of psychosis, a study by researchers from Orygen, the National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, has found. take vitamins today The study, led by Dr Colin O'Donnell, now at Letterkenny University Hospital, and Dr Kelly Allott from Orygen, explored the impact of increasing a person's intake of vitamins B12, B6, and folic acid [vitamin B9] after studies in people with schizophrenia revealed that increased intake of these vitamins could decrease patients' levels of an amino acid called homocysteine and improve their symptoms. Dr Allott said elevated levels of homocysteine in people living with schizophrenia had been associated with more severe symptoms. "Given previous studies have shown that increasing the intake of vitamin B12, B6...
Post a Comment
Read more

Master regulator in mitochondria is critical for muscle function and repair

Master regulator in mitochondria is critical for muscle function and repair When we exercise, our muscles can become fatigued, sore and even damaged with very strenuous activities, like running a marathon. Over time our muscles are able to repair themselves through a complex set of cellular processes within each muscle fiber. New research from the MitoCare Center at Thomas Jefferson University, in collaboration with the Center for Genetic Medicine Research at Children's National Health System in Washington D.C., has identified how MICU1, a protein in the mitochondria, the "powerhouses" of all cells, is critical in the maintenance of muscle size and function, and the repair of damaged muscle fibers. The findings point to a potential role of MICU1 in neuromuscular diseases. The study was published in  Cell Reports  on October 29th. The contraction and relaxation of our muscles is dependent on the proper balance of calcium ions inside each muscle fiber. Some of this ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Mitochondria Has A Role In Cellular Copper Regulation

Mitochondria Has A Role In Cellular Copper Regulation Copper is an essential part of our lives. From copper pipes and wires - to important copper-containing proteins in the body, copper is necessary for healthy growth and neurological development. Researchers at the Montreal Neurological Institute at McGill University are studying how copper is processed in our bodies and its distinct role in early development. Their findings, published in a recent edition of the journal Cell Metabolism, identify a new role for two proteins involved with copper regulation. This study may lead to a better understanding of how to treat individuals affected by copper imbalances. "Copper is important in maintaining healthy cells. When copper is not properly regulated in the body it can lead to diseases of the liver, kidneys, brains and eyes," says Dr. Eric Shoubridge, a professor of Human Genetics at the Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University and lead investigator. "W...
Post a Comment
Read more