Low zinc levels might be deadly for covid-19 patients according to this study

Zinc might not sound as important as other nutrients like iron or calcium, but it’s deficiency can be life-threatening. Zinc fixes many health hassles like skin problems, mental health ailments, sexual health issues, and even poor immunity. In fact, it would seem that it has a role to play in covid-19 as well. 

In a recent online conference of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases on coronavirus, researchers expressed that low levels of zinc in the body can also result in covid-19 deaths. This is majorly because lack of zinc in your body leads to major inflammation and SARS-CoV-2 makes the case even worse.

This is what the researchers have to say
“Lower zinc levels at admission correlate with higher inflammation in the course of infection and poorer outcome,” said study author Roberto Güerri-Fernández, Hospital Del Mar, Spain, according to a report by IANS.

“Plasma zinc levels at admission are associated with mortality in covid-19 in our study,” Güerri-Fernández added. 

This study included 249 of these patients who had lower levels of zinc and were covid-19 positive of which eight per cent died.

According to the researchers, higher zinc levels were associated with lower maximum levels of interleukin-6 (the protein that indicates systemic inflammation) during the period of active infection.

But there is still a sense of ambiguity among the researchers as the effect of plasma zinc levels on SARS-COV-2 is still not understood.

“Further studies are needed to assess the therapeutic impact of this association,” the authors noted.

The journal PLOS Pathogen also talks about the importance of zinc levels
According to a study published in the journal, a zinc propelled body has the immunity to fight against the virus. So if your body has enough zinc then it can stop the multiplication of the covid-19 virus.

According to Dr Aakriti Gupta from AIIMS, a nutritionist and research scientist focusing on micronutrient deficiencies, especially zinc, zinc deficiency has also been a risk factor for night blindness, premature atherosclerosis, malabsorption syndrome, chronic liver disease, chronic renal disease, sickle cell disease, diabetes, malignancy, and other chronic illnesses.

Therefore it is important to consume a zinc-rich diet which includes foods like seeds, legumes, meat, nuts, dairy, and whole grain. This will not just give you great skin and a highly productive brain but now as you know will keep covid-19 hazard away.

So keep a tab on your zinc intake ladies and ensure that everyone around you does that too. 

(With inputs from IANS)