Why zinc can be the lack of nutrient in asthma childish care

Scientists explain how zinc deficiency can supply childish asthma and allergies and why supplements could become a safe, low -cost additional treatment as soon as clinical trials confirm the benefits.

Study: The role of zinc in pediatric asthma and allergic rhinitis: mechanisms and clinical effects. Credit Picture: New Africa/Shutterstock.com

Both asthma and allergic rhinitis in children are led by chronic inflammation, the result of genetic and environmental forces. A review of the literature, published in NutrientsHe investigated available data on the role of the zinc of trace elements in the prevention of such diseases through its effect on oxidative stress and immunomodomosis.

Import

Among the most common chronic diseases worldwide are asthma and allergies. Asthma affected 262 million people in 2019, with 455,000 deaths. It is also a major cause of disability.

Asthma affects almost 6.5% of children aged 6-11 years and prevalence increases. Responsible factors could be urbanization, increased focus on hygiene, higher environmental pollution rates and unhealthy “westernized” dietary patterns. Asthma management aims to control the symptoms, allow the patient to live properly and prevent acute exhaustion. At the same time, the adverse effects of asthma treatment should be minimized.

Sometimes there are inappropriate fears about conventional therapies and anti-allergic treatments for asthma and allergic rhinitis, so that patients are investigating complementary medicine and the role of nutrition as treatments. Elements of trace elements such as zinc and iron and vitamins such as A, C and D, can alter the immune response and enhance the body’s antioxidant capacity. These are often inadequate in children suffering from atopy, with a deficiency of zinc and vitamin A associated with airway inflammation.

In adults, zinc deficiency is generally defined by levels below 74 µg/dl and 70 µg/dl in men and women, respectively. In children ≥10 years of age, the thresholds are below 70 µg/dl in males and 66 µg/dl in women. However, these may vary depending on age and gender, inflammation and individual rhythms of the body.

Zinc is the second only in iron in abundance of the body and is found in many tissues, including muscles and bones, skin and liver. It participates in over 300 enzymatic reactions, gene transcription and protein structure. By 20% of people worldwide can be inadequate with zinc. Signs and symptoms include delayed growth, repetitive infections, reduced wound healing and imbalanced immunological reactions.

Zinc functions

The bed cycle is the place of the most essential functions of zinc. It restricts the production of hydroxyl roots by competing with iron, copper and others after transitional metals with high red potential. It is the coenzyme for copper-pebble peroxide dismutase, which contradicts the lipid peroxidation in cell membranes, thereby compensating for inflammation.

Zinc keeps the thymus healthy and maintains thymuline activity at normal levels, allowing T cells to be differentiated and immune tolerance. Zinc deficiency causes poor TV development T and phenotype displacement TH2. The presence of a dominant Th2 image after exposure to non -single environmental stimuli is characteristic of asthma.

The th2-dominant phenotype is pre-inflammatory and stimulates B lymphocyte activation, causing a flood of immunoglobulin (Ig), particularly IgE, interleukin release and eosinophil activation, the inflammatory indicators.

Low zinc levels are associated with increased eosinophilia of the airways, which oppose the supplement of zinc. Zinc also regulates the proliferation and inflammatory activity of the compact lymphoid cells of Group 2. In addition, zinc controls the maturation of dendritic cells and enhances the unexeratory conditions of these cells with antigen. Without a lot of zinc, these cells become hyperactive and atoms develop a Th2-Skewed image with allergic awareness.

Zinc maintains the integrity of the epithelial barrier by stabilizing the tight connection molecules. It also activates a signaling waterfall that increases the assembly of the intersection complex. Zinc deficiency can allow allergens to pass through the epithelial barrier, causing hyper -intensive immunosuppression and long -term inflammation.

Zinc changes apoptosis, helping to prevent excessive cell loss while supporting repair and recovery of tissues in the presence of oxidative stress or toxins. This knowledge of zinc actions supports its role in preventing atopy.

Study findings

Multiple observational and invasive studies have shown that low zinc levels in children with asthma are associated with more symptoms, poorer lung function and higher levels of oxidative stress, even without satisfying the threshold for clinical failure.

Children with allergic rhinitis were more likely to have inflammatory nasal mucous membranes and lower levels of serum zinc. At the same time, acute allergic inflammation is associated with increased zinc in the mucosa. This could be due to the movement of zinc from the blood at the point of allergy. This case is supported by preclinical experiments and the well -known role of zinc in maintaining the integrity of the epithelial barrier and its immunomodulatory activity.

Some but not all invasive tests in asthma children show that zinc supplementation can provide benefits for symptoms (whistle, cough, shortness of breath) and pulmonary function. However, the findings remain inconsistent because of the differences in the design of the study, in the completion protocols and the populations studied.

Adequate zinc levels during pregnancy are linked to better lung function and with a lower risk of asthma in offspring. Endorrhin zinc in mice reduced allergic symptoms such as sneezing and mucosal secretion cells in the nasal mucosa.

In mice, zinc deficiency activates the P38 Mapk signaling pathway, while supplementing reduces this effect, reducing increased levels of IgE and inflammatory cytokin.

Conclusion

Zinc homeostasis affects many children with asthma and allergic rhinitis, acting through multiple paths. The most important roles seem to be his ability to avoid aggressive inflammation of immune reactions and keep the mucosa healthy. Being safe and readily available, zinc supplementation could be a valuable additive for children with allergic airway disease.

However, these are mainly observation data, with significant heterogeneity and non -standard complement protocols. The wording of the clinical guidelines for zinc supplementation requires well -designed randomized controlled tests to ensure that zinc is clinically useful for the establishment of the operation, dosage, duration and conditions of use for optimal benefit. Hair zinc levels rather than serum zinc could be a better marker of zinc adequacy. The endorine route offers great promise.

“The incorporation of the evaluation of zinc status into a clinical assessment of the usual clinical evaluation, especially in children with severe or insufficiently controlled allergic disease, can provide a path to more personalized and effective treatment strategies.. ”

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