Research in mice suggests zinc supplements have potential value to directly treat short bowel syndrome

Medical Xpress / Johns Hopkins University School of Med. / Nature Communications ^ | Oct. 24, 2024 | Maame Efua S. Sampah et al

[ConservativeMind]

Researchers say they have identified a gene pathway involving the mineral zinc in mice that may someday point the way to using zinc-based supplements to directly help people with a rare disorder called short bowel syndrome (SBS).

The findings help advance efforts toward more effective, potential treatment regimens for both children and adults with the debilitating condition.

SBS is marked by damage to and shortening of the small intestine.

Children with SBS have a reduced ability to absorb nutrients from the diet, often require intravenous nutritional support, and experience significant complications including malnutrition, dehydration, unintentional weight loss and death.

Their study identified a previously unrecognized role for zinc, to protect and even grow what bowel remains in people with SBS.

They discovered that the zinc transport genes known as SLC39A4 and SLC39A5, which are found in the small intestine and are key to transporting zinc in the body, affected the ability of the bowel to recover.

To assess whether supplementing with zinc could help advance or speed up intestinal function and healing, the researchers fed the mice with SBS a liquid, high-zinc diet, (65 milligrams per kilogram per day of zinc acetate). Mice on a high-zinc diet not only gained more weight compared with those on standard or zinc-depleted diets, but they also experienced a partial reversal of the typical effects of SBS.

By the end of the first week, mice on the standard liquid, zinc-depleted diet (13.5 milligrams per kilogram per day of zinc acetate) had lost more weight (13.38 ± 1.11%), while those receiving extra zinc had significantly less weight loss (7.1 ± 1.19%). Importantly, the high-zinc diet led to better survival rates, 85.7% compared to 66.67%, and improved the capacity of the intestines to absorb nutrients and fluids due to longer and healthier intestinal villi.

[ConservativeMind]

The zinc levels they used equated to 20 mg of zinc per 2.2 pounds of weight—far too high to be practical for children or adults, but it shows that zinc can be instrumental in curbing short bowel.

The Upper Tolerable Limit for zinc is 40 mg/day for adults, and 7 mg for children 1-3 years of age.

[ConservativeMind]

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[dp0622]

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[faithhopecharity]

Only Democratic rats get SBS

[Delta 21]

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[ConservativeMind]

I am honored by your kind words.

[dp0622]

lol!!