My name is Dr. Chris Pallia, and I am an orthopedic surgeon based out of San Diego, California and I am affiliated with the Synergy Orthopedic Specialists Medical Group.
Zinc is an essential trace element that is crucial for growth, development, and the maintenance of immune function. Its influence reaches all organs and cell types, representing an integral component and encompasses hundreds of key enzymes and transcription factors. Zinc deficiency is strikingly common, affecting up to a quarter of the population in developing countries, but also affecting distinct populations in the developed world as a result of lifestyle, age, and disease-mediated factors. Consequently, zinc status is a critical factor that can influence antiviral immunity, particularly as zinc-deficient populations are often most at risk of acquiring viral infections.
More detail from the classic review article with regard to Zinc and respiratory tract infections: "A few studies have examined the antiviral effects of zinc on other respiratory viruses. In vitro replication of influenza (PR/8/34) is significantly inhibited by the addition of the zinc ionophore pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (110), perhaps through inhibition of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), as had been suggested 30 years earlier (111). In similar fashion, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus RdRp template binding and elongation was inhibited by zinc in Vero-E6 cells (60). Moreover, zinc salts were shown to inhibit respiratory syncytial virus, even while zinc was incubated with HEp-2 cells only before infection, and then removed (72). The authors suggest that this indicates an inhibitory mechanism similar to HSV by preventing viral membrane fusion; however, no measures were taken to assess changes in intracellular zinc content, nor inhibition of other aspects of the viral life cycle."
Taking appropriate zinc supplements has been linked to a reduced rate of respiratory infections and a shorter duration of related symptoms. Deficiency in zinc, a mineral found in meat, shellfish, nuts and whole grains, is more prevalent in less developed countries. A review article in the journal Nutrients showed that patients with autoimmune diseases have significantly lower zinc levels than those without the immune dysfunctions. Furthermore, aged individuals are significantly more susceptible to zinc deficiency. Year-long supplementation with 45 mg elemental zinc per day in elderly subjects (aged 55–87 y), has also demonstrated a dramatic reduction in the incidence of infection as well as plasma oxidative stress markers (168).
Well, to summarize, make sure you have enough Zinc either through appropriate dietary intake or through supplements, and this will substantially reduce your risk of infection and boost your immune function to its peak.
I'm going to do a little more research and publish one final blog on the topic of supplements and your immune system in the upcoming weeks.
References:
Sanna A, Firinu D, Zavattari P, Valera P. Nutrients. 2018 Jan 11;10(1):68.
Read SA, Obeid S, Ahlenstiel C, Ahlenstiel G. Adv Nutr. 2019 Jul 1;10(4):696-710.