Zinc News and Research

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Zinc is an essential mineral that is naturally present in some foods, added to others, and available as a dietary supplement. Zinc is also found in many cold lozenges and some over-the-counter drugs sold as cold remedies.

Zinc Oxide can potentially cause cancer

A study led by a group of Nanyang Technological University (NTU) researchers has found that a chemical commonly used in consumer products can potentially cause cancer.

30 Nov 2011

Link between loss of wildlife access and micronutrient deficiencies in children

For the first time, researchers have uncovered a powerful connection between loss of access to wildlife and micronutrient deficiencies in children, according to a recently published study by the University of California-Berkeley, Harvard Center for the Environment and Harvard School of Public Health, the Wildlife Conservation Society, and others.

23 Nov 2011

New material emits long-lasting, near-infrared glow after sunlight exposure

Materials that emit visible light after being exposed to sunlight are commonplace and can be found in everything from emergency signage to glow-in-the-dark stickers. But until now, scientists have had little success creating materials that emit light in the near-infrared range, a portion of the spectrum that only can be seen with the aid of night vision devices.

21 Nov 2011

ProPhase Labs introduces new Cold-EEZE Oral Spray

ProPhase Labs, makers of Cold-EEZE, a leader in over-the-counter (OTC) homeopathic cold remedies, continues to pioneer the category as they launch their first-ever Cold-EEZE Oral Spray. The new Oral Spray is formulated with zinc gluconate, the same effective active ingredient found in the best-selling, clinically proven and #1 pharmacist recommended Cold-EEZE lozenges.

1 Nov 2011

Teen study reveals unhealthy and concerning trends

An alarming trend shows that girls as young as primary-school age are increasingly troubled by their self-image, with more than a third of those aged between 10 and 11 eager to lose weight and adopting drastic methods to pursue their ideal body shape.

31 Oct 2011

Research provides data on nutritional content of broccoli for breeders

Research performed by scientists at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and published recently in the journal Crop Science has demonstrated that mineral levels in new varieties of broccoli have not declined since 1975, and that the broccoli contains the same levels of calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, potassium and other minerals that have made the vegetable a healthy staple of American diets for decades.

14 Oct 2011

Nature publishes Sangamo's gene correction strategy for A1AT deficiency

Sangamo BioSciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: SGMO) announced the publication of a preclinical study demonstrating highly specific, functional correction of the alpha 1-antitrypsin (A1AT) gene defect in patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) using zinc finger nucleases.

14 Oct 2011

Multivitamin supplements no panacea for women: Study

According to the latest American study women who take multivitamin supplements don't live longer than those who get their nutrients from food alone. In fact, they appear to have slightly higher death rates, researchers found.

11 Oct 2011

Dietary supplements may increase risk of mortality in older women

Consuming dietary supplements, including multivitamins, folic acid, iron and copper, among others, appears to be associated with an increased risk of death in older women, according to a report in the October 10 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

11 Oct 2011

Sangamo's SB-509 fails to meet key endpoints in Phase 2b study for diabetic neuropathy

Sangamo BioSciences, Inc. today announced that its Phase 2b study (SB-509-901) did not meet its primary or secondary clinical endpoints in subjects with moderate severity diabetic neuropathy (DN) as compared to placebo.

3 Oct 2011

Planned clinical trial of Adeona's zinc-based therapy for ALS patients to be featured at ALS Summit

Adeona Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a developer of innovative medicines for serious central nervous system diseases, announced today that its planned clinical trial of the Company's proprietary zinc-based therapy for patients suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, will be featured during the Hot Topics session at the 2011 California ALS Research Summit on Saturday, October 1, 2011.

1 Oct 2011

Low plasma level of copper and zinc in pregnant women may be associated with spontaneous abortion

Scientists at the University of Granada have confirmed that a low plasma level of copper and zinc in pregnant women may be a factor associated with spontaneous abortion, a hypothesis that had not been confirmed to date, and which had never been proven in humans before.

28 Sep 2011

Methodist Hospital internist offers few simple suggestions to prevent cold and flu

The first few breezes of fall bring with them not only the promise of a welcome change in season, but also the threat of colds and flu. Dr. Joshua Septimus, an internist at The Methodist Hospital in Houston, offers a few simple suggestions to protect you and your family this cold and flu season. "The most useful tip I can pass along is to wash your hands," says Septimus. "It sounds so simple, but it is truly the most important thing you can do to protect yourself."

27 Sep 2011

Zinc plays a critical role in regulating communication between brain cells

Zinc has been found to play a critical role in regulating communication between cells in the brain, possibly governing the formation of memories and controlling the occurrence of epileptic seizures.

22 Sep 2011

Water plays a decisive role in biologically active enzyme substrate compounds

In biologically active enzyme substrate compounds, as can be found in medicines, water plays a more decisive role than has been imagined up to now. The surrounding water acts like an "adhesive", in order to keep the substrate at the right place on an enzyme.

20 Sep 2011

Immune system uses zinc to destroy tuberculosis bacillus, E. coli

A new natural defense mechanism against infections has been evidenced by an international team led by researchers from CNRS, Inserm, the Institut Pasteur and the Université Paul Sabatier - Toulouse III.

20 Sep 2011

Australian scientists create iron-rich 'super rice'

Scientists from three universities in South Australia and the University of Melbourne have created genetically modified rice that "has up to four times more iron than conventional rice and twice as much zinc" in an effort to "provide a solution to the iron and zinc deficiency disorders that affect billions of people throughout the world," News Corp Australian Papers/Fox News reports.

12 Sep 2011

Low-glycemic foods, high protein intake reduce body weight and fat mass

A new study out of Madrid, Spain shows that low-glycemic foods, and moderately high-protein intake has been shown to reduce body weight and fat mass.

29 Aug 2011

Zinc may act as tumor suppressor in commonist form of pancreatic cancer

The essential element zinc has been shown in a new study to be a likely tumor suppressor in the commonist form of pancreatic cancer, University of Maryland scientists report in the current issue of the journal Cancer Biology & Therapy.

26 Aug 2011

Researchers pave the way for functional analysis of non-protein-coding genes

When investigating cancer cells, researchers discovered numerous peculiarities: Particular RNA molecules are present in large numbers, particular genes are overactive. Do these characteristics have a relation to cancer? Do they promote cell growth? Do they inactivate growth brakes or are they just a whim of nature?

25 Aug 2011