Zinc has been shown to have direct activity against a range of viruses. Zinc has demonstrated value in treating infection by the common cold viruses (rhinoviruses), but it is not clear how effective zinc is against influenza viruses.

Zinc is a mild to moderate inhibitor of neuraminidase. Zinc can also turn down TNF, ICAM and other cytokines involved in over reaction to H5N1 and other viruses. Many people are deficient in this mineral, and low levels of zinc promote reactive oxygen species and the MAPK p38? pathway.

Zinc and Viruses

• 10-15 mg of zinc is used in a variety of lozenges sold to inhibit cold viruses. Hulisz concluded that zinc could reduce the intensity and duration of the common cold when it was begun early in the infection. One mechanism he discussed is the binding of zinc to the ICAM receptor, which is also used by most cold viruses. PMID:15496046 (cache)

• Zinc can change the conformation of virus envelope proteins, although it is not clear whether this would inhibit the activity of the virus. PMID:12590584 (cache)

• A recent study in Japan found that zinc deficiency was linked to the development of influenza related encephalopathy. Nitric oxide levels were also significantly higher in the group with encephalopathy, and it was suggested that the low zinc levels led to the increase in nitric oxide. Although encephalopathy (infection of the brain) is not a common feature in H5N1, nitric oxide is a component of the inflammatory cascade.

Zinc and Neuraminidase

• Zinc ions have been shown to have a slight inhibitory action on all strains of neuraminidase tested, while calcium and magnesium increased the activity of neuraminidases. PMID:14561719 (cache)

Zinc and Cytokines

• Low levels of zinc have been correlated with high levels of TNF and ICAM in people with angina (heart pain). Zinc supplementation or environmental exposure to zinc results in less heart disease along with lower levels of cytokines. Very high doses of zinc (300 mg/day) increases LDL ("Bad") cholesterol, although some doctors believe that this may due to a flushing of LDL from the artery walls. PMID:16084666 (cache)

• Zinc reduces TNF and IL-1 secretion from monocyte cells stimulated with LPS. PMID:16177117 (cache) Zinc reduces TNF, IL-1 and IL-8 production by monocyte/macrophage cells. PMID:12812920 (cache)

• Zinc deficiency leads to an increase in hydrogen peroxide, which activates MAPK p38 and the NF-Kappa inflammatory cascades. PMID: 16115673

Cost

• Zinc is quite innexpensive: 5 cents a day if you go with NSI L-OptiZinc 30 mg of Zinc - 200 Caps, a zinc-methionine complex, and 1.5 cents per day with Swanson Premium Brand Zinc (Gluconate).

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