![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
[email protected]Shown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Phillipa on January 6, 2014, at 20:50:59
Since some say that extra zinc possibly can restore taste & Smell could it also explain why people in remission report tasting thing more?
Medscape Medical News > Psychiatry
Depression Linked to Low Zinc Levels in Blood
Fran Lowry
January 02, 2014
People who are depressed have lower concentrations of zinc in their peripheral blood compared with nondepressed individuals, a meta-analysis suggests.
"The pathophysiological relationships between zinc status and depression, and the potential benefits of zinc supplementation in depressed patients, warrant further investigation," write Walter Swardfager, PhD, from the Sunnybrook Research Institute, University of Toronto, Canada, and colleagues.
Their findings were published in the December 15 issue of Biological Psychiatry.
Link to Zinc Deficiency
"A growing body of evidence demonstrates that experimental zinc deficiency can induce depressive-like behavior in animals, which can be effectively reversed by zinc supplementation," the authors write. Furthermore, preliminary clinical trials have suggested that zinc added to antidepressant therapy may produce more rapid or more effective improvement in depressive symptoms.
Many, although not all, studies that have measured zinc concentrations of peripheral blood in depressed and nondepressed individuals during the past several decades have suggested that depression might be associated with lower zinc concentrations in various population samples, the researchers note.
The aim of this meta-analysis was to determine whether the clinical evidence collectively supports lower zinc concentrations in depressed patients compared with nondepressed individuals.
The analysis included 17 studies that measured peripheral bloodzinc concentrations in 1643 depressed patients and 804 control participants. Ten of these studies reported on psychiatric inpatients, and 7 reported on community samples. Of the participants, 34.4% were male; the mean age was 37.7 years.
The researchers found that mean peripheral bloodzinc concentrations were lower by approximately 1.85 µmol/L in depressed individuals compared with control participants (95% confidence interval [CI], -2.51 to -1.19; P < .00001).
More severe depression was associated with greater differences in zinc levels between depressed and control participants (P = .026).
Further, the authors report that effect sizes were larger in studies of inpatients (weighted mean difference [WMD], -2.543; 95% CI, -3.522 to -1.564; P < .0001) vs community samples (WMD, -.943; 95% CI, -1.563 to -.323; P = .003) and in studies with higher methodologic quality (WMD, -2.354; 95% CI, -2.901 to -1.807; P < .0001).
Biologically Plausible
"Although association studies cannot determine the direction of causation, a causal association between zinc status and depression is biologically plausible," the authors write.
"Zinc has antioxidant properties, helps to maintain endocrine homeostasis and immune function, and plays multiple roles in regulating the hippocampal and cortical glutamatergic circuits that subserve affective regulation and cognitive function. Thus, changes in zinc homeostasis might compromise neuroplasticity and contribute to long-term neuropsychological and psychiatric decline," they write.
Zinc also plays an important role in immune function. Lower serum levels of zinc have been associated with disturbances in fatty acid metabolism and in serum lipid levels, which might affect brain function and vascular health. Lower zinc levels have also been associated cardiovascular disease, a common comorbidity of major depressive disorder (MDD), the authors note.
The investigators point out limitations of their study. The quality and risk of bias "were uneven among studies included in this meta-analysis," they write.
Not all studies reported demographic data "sufficiently to be included in investigations of heterogeneity, the use of antidepressants and other concomitant medications were not consistently reported, and data on diet and alcohol use were often not reported," the authors write.Limitations notwithstanding, the authors conclude that their results suggest that depression is associated with reduced concentrations of zinc in peripheral blood.
"The findings suggest the need to further investigate potential roles of zinc in the pathophysiology of depression, the potential utility of zinc and related biomarkers in monitoring MDD and its clinical sequelae, and potential benefits of zinc supplementation in MDD patients," they conclude.
The study was supported by the Ontario Mental Health Foundation. Dr. Swardfager was supported by fellowships from the Heart and Stroke Foundation Center for Stroke Recovery and the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute. Dr. Swardfager and the other authors report no relevant financial relationships.
Posted by linkadge on January 7, 2014, at 18:08:58
In reply to Depression Lined To Low Zinc Levels In Blood, posted by Phillipa on January 6, 2014, at 20:50:59
Interesting.
Thanks,
Linkadge
Posted by Phillipa on January 7, 2014, at 20:40:14
In reply to Re: Depression Lined To Low Zinc Levels In Blood, posted by linkadge on January 7, 2014, at 18:08:58
You're welcome. Have to wonder if the l00mg of zinc the dentist said can be used for taste and smell might work? So far haven't tried it. PJ
Posted by poser938 on January 8, 2014, at 20:10:03
In reply to Re: Depression Lined To Low Zinc Levels In Blood » linkadge, posted by Phillipa on January 7, 2014, at 20:40:14
my mom told me how her doctor recommended zinc and magnesium supplements for her mood. my mom said they helped. but you have to be careful to make sure you dont get too much zinc in your diet, this can cause health problems as well. most denture adhesive creams contain zinc, and people who use these have to be a bit more careful about not overdosing on zinc
Health Risks from Excessive Zinc Zinc toxicity can occur in both acute and chronic forms. Acute adverse effects of high zinc intake include nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, and headaches [2]. One case report cited severe nausea and vomiting within 30 minutes of ingesting 4 g of zinc gluconate (570 mg elemental zinc) [81]. Intakes of 150450 mg of zinc per day have been associated with such chronic effects as low copper status, altered iron function, reduced immune function, and reduced levels of high-density lipoproteins [82]. Reductions in a copper-containing enzyme, a marker of copper status, have been reported with even moderately high zinc intakes of approximately 60 mg/day for up to 10 weeks [2]. The doses of zinc used in the AREDS study (80 mg per day of zinc in the form of zinc oxide for 6.3 years, on average) have been associated with a significant increase in hospitalizations for genitourinary causes, raising the possibility that chronically high intakes of zinc adversely affect some aspects of urinary physiology.
....
id love to know the cause of my situation. i know what i can link my current mood problems to (past psychiatric med use), but id love to know why im so sensitive to detrimental effects of these meds and if theres anything i can do about it.
Posted by Phillipa on January 8, 2014, at 20:16:28
In reply to Re: Depression Lined To Low Zinc Levels In Blood, posted by poser938 on January 8, 2014, at 20:10:03
Poser it's always seems to be a Catch 22. Phillipa
Posted by bleauberry on January 9, 2014, at 17:22:21
In reply to Depression Lined To Low Zinc Levels In Blood, posted by Phillipa on January 6, 2014, at 20:50:59
Ahh yeah, so glad you found this Phillipa. I used to know about that and just totally forgot. Swiss cheese brain here sometimes.
Zinc is a possibility for you. Happens to play a role against pathogens too....hmmm.
Anyway, if we were standing face to face right now, and you told me you were not already taking high doses of zinc, I think I would slap you silly. :-) You know better. You are on zinc, right? Your vitamin has a lot more than the basic 100%, right?
Posted by bleauberry on January 9, 2014, at 17:24:18
In reply to Depression Lined To Low Zinc Levels In Blood, posted by Phillipa on January 6, 2014, at 20:50:59
Oh, and by the way. Depression isn't linked to low zinc or lyme disease or neurotransmitters or hormones or whatever....it's linked to just about everything! That's why I always stress utilizing more than simply the psychiatric toolbox, because it just aint as simple as zinc or whatever.
Posted by mogger on January 20, 2014, at 14:54:05
In reply to Depression Lined To Low Zinc Levels In Blood, posted by Phillipa on January 6, 2014, at 20:50:59
Does anyone know the recommended dose of zinc and what form to take?
Posted by mogger on January 20, 2014, at 14:55:22
In reply to Re: Depression Lined To Low Zinc Levels In Blood, posted by bleauberry on January 9, 2014, at 17:22:21
What is the safest form of zinc to take and at what dose? Thank you,
Mogger
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
[email protected]
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.