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Zinc Deficiency is Associated with Poor Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Diseas

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 12/20/2016 2:07 PM (GMT 0)
Probably won't cure you but may prevent some adverse events.
Of course too much depletes copper. New info.
Old Mike

Inflamm Bowel Dis. 2016 Dec 7. [Epub ahead of print]
Zinc Deficiency is Associated with Poor Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.
Siva S1, Rubin DT, Gulotta G, Wroblewski K, Pekow J.
Author information
Abstract
BACKGROUND:
Zinc plays a pivotal role in wound repair, tissue regeneration, and the immune response. Although zinc deficiency is common in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), the impact of low serum zinc levels on disease course is not known.
METHODS:
Patients enrolled in a prospectively collected IBD registry with at least 2 serum zinc measurements were included in the analysis. Using a logistic regression model, rates of IBD-related surgeries, IBD-related hospitalizations, and IBD-related complications were evaluated after a diagnosis of zinc deficiency (serum concentration <0.66 μg/mL) compared with those with normal zinc concentrations. In patients who were zinc deficient, outcomes were also analyzed between those who had normalization of zinc levels within 12 months and those who remained deficient.
RESULTS:
A total of 773 patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and 223 with ulcerative colitis (UC) were included in the analysis. After adjusting for covariates, zinc deficiency was associated with an increased risk of subsequent hospitalizations, surgeries, and disease-related complications in patients with CD and UC (CD: hospitalizations, odds ratio 1.44, 95% confidence interval [1.02-2.04]; surgeries, 2.05 [1.38-3.05]; complications, 1.50 [1.04-2.15]; UC: hospitalizations, 2.14 [1.07-4.29]; surgeries, 1.64 [0.59-4.52]; complications, 1.97 [0.94-4.11]). Normalization of zinc was associated with improvement in these outcomes in patients with both CD and UC.
CONCLUSIONS:
Patients with IBD with serum zinc deficiency are more likely to have adverse disease-specific outcomes. As these outcomes improve with normalization of zinc, the results from this study support the role for close monitoring and replacement of zinc in patients with IBD.
PMID: 27930412 DOI: 10.1097/MIB.0000000000000989
Posted 12/20/2016 2:18 PM (GMT 0)
List of zinc rich foods:

http://bembu.com/foods-high-in-zinc[url]

Spinach, beef, shrimp, flax seed, kidney beans, pumpkin seeds, oysters, watermelon seeds, garlic, lima beans, peanuts, egg yolks, turkey, salmon, lobster, pork, dark chocolate, chickpeas, beef liver, brown rice, peas, sesame seeds, lamb, cashews, crab, mushrooms.
Posted 12/20/2016 2:19 PM (GMT 0)
How would one know if he/she was zinc deficient? Are zinc levels part of the blood tests your family doctor would run as part of an annual physical or blood tests a gastroenterologist would typically run?

Add this to the list of others that we're low in as uc patients: iron (anemia), b12 (folate), and D.
Posted 12/20/2016 2:43 PM (GMT 0)
Add this to the list of others that we're low in as uc patients: iron (anemia), b12 (folate), and D.

Blood levels of zinc can be measured the same as iron, etc. B12 and folate are separate vitamins that can also be measured.
Posted 12/20/2016 2:46 PM (GMT 0)
To clarify. More specifically looking for blood test names that include zinc, and curious whether it's a normal test given to us all or some specialty test that we must request.
Posted 12/20/2016 2:48 PM (GMT 0)
Perhaps I need to add zinc to my supplements.

iPoop has a good question. I've never heard of a specific test for zinc. I know when I'm hospitalized they run a potassium test. Does it say how much zinc would be therapeutic?

ipoop--I'm always envious of my dogs poop! And on one occasion I did go in the bushes with hersmile I love reading your signature. It always makes me chuckle.
Posted 12/20/2016 2:55 PM (GMT 0)
Mission accomplished as we all need an occasional chuckle, especially when our uc has got us down smile
Posted 12/21/2016 1:44 AM (GMT 0)
In Canada serum zinc in not part of normal lab work. I had mine done because I asked for it. Mine came back normal. The Naturopathic Doctor I seen deemed me zinc deficient based on a liquid suspension test. She stated that serum zinc (blood) can be normal but the zinc in your tissues is not the same thing. That was her explanation to me. I now take a zinc supplement, just in case she is right.
Posted 12/22/2016 3:47 PM (GMT 0)
I had Zinc done once in a private blood test for mineral levels. I've been told it is not done routinely in public health as the poster said earlier it is controversial how much blood levels tell you. My zinc level came back high but they said this often happens in an acute inflammatory stage.
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