According to a study conducted by the University of Michigan, USA, zinc supplementation may decrease the infection rate in older people. 50 healthy participants aged between 55 and 87 years were involved in the study and divided into two groups: One group (25 participants) received a zinc supplement, and participants in the other group (25 participants) received a placebo orally for 12 months daily. Additionally, these participants were compared to 31 young adults. Inflammation parameters were measured before and after the supplementation period. In the beginning, the elderly showed, among others, lower zinc levels and higher inflammatory parameters compared to the young participants. Furthermore, the results showed significantly higher zinc levels, a decreased incidence of infections (29% vs. 88%), and lower inflammation parameters in the supplementation group compared to participants in the placebo group. For more details, please see the study.
Prasad et al.