Zinc deficiency might contribute to elevated irritation amongst HIV-positive people
In a new study, University of Massachusetts Amherst researchers Krishna Poudel and colleagues report that zinc deficiency may contribute to chronic inflammation among HIV-positive individuals. Theirs is believed to be the first investigation to explore the association between serum zinc levels and inflammation among people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, while taking their anti-retroviral therapy (ART) into account. As the authors note, zinc functions as an anti-inflammatory agent, and zinc deficiency is a common micronutrient abnormality seen in people with HIV. But more work is needed to determine whether zinc supplements might help to reduce inflammation and further, to identify a subpopulation of patients who might benefit from this, they add. Poudel, an associate professor of community health education at UMass Amherst's School of Public Health and Health Sciences, with his colleagues epidemiologist Elizabeth Bertone-Johnson and Kalpana Poudel-Tanduka...