Zinc, Covid, Hypertenion

A few years ago we described in a blog on www.malariaword.org the role zinc may have in diarrhea and tropical diseases. Zn2+ deficiency is a common comorbidity of many chronic diseases. In a recent weblog we describe the deleterious effect of zinc deficiency in elderly people on the development of pneumonia. Zinc deficiency has a detrimental effect on blood pressure and hypertension is one of the major causes of mortality in Covid infections. A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials on the effects of zinc supplementation on blood pressure in adults was made in Iran. A significant reduction in systolic blood pressure following zinc supplementation was found. However, zinc supplementation had no significant effect on diastolic blood pressure. Mousavi, S.M., Mofrad, M.D., do Nascimento, I.J.B. et al. The effect of zinc supplementation on blood pressure: a systematic review and dose–response meta-analysis of randomized-controlled trials. Eur J Nutr 59, 1815–1827 (2020). Song MK, Hwang IK, Rosenthal MJ, Yip I, Go VL. Antidiabetic actions of arachidonic acid and zinc in genetically diabetic Goto-Kakizaki rats. Metabolism. 2003 Jan;52(1):7-12. doi: 10.1053/meta.2003.50031. PMID: 12524655 An Italian study observed inverse correlations between blood pressures and serum Zn. M Bergomi , S Rovesti, Zinc and copper status and blood pressure J Trace Elem Med Biol. 1997 Nov; 11(3):166-9. Kim J. Dietary zinc intake is inversely associated with systolic blood pressure in young obese women . Nutr Res Pract. 2013;7(5):380-384. Williams CR, Mistry M, , Hoover RS. Zinc deficiency induces hypertension by promoting renal Na+ reabsorption. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol. 2019 Apr 1;316(4):F646-F653 Artemisia plants are very rich in zinc, more than most vegetables, and are sometimes considered as hyperaccumulators. An analysis of a dozen of medicinal herbs in Romania showed that Artemisia absinthium is top ranking in Zn content. D S Antal, V Vlaia, Zinc across medicinal plants from Romanian biodiversity and the implications for human health. Revista ce Cimie-Bucharest, February 2015.