Tldr; it might help to take zinc.
Out of 249 studied patients, there was 8% (21 patients) mortality. The investigators found a significantly lower plasma level of zinc in COVID-19 patients who died (43 μg/dl) than the patients who survived (63.1 μg/dl). After adjusting different variables, the investigators showed each unit increase of plasma zinc at the time of hospital admission resulted in a 7% reduced risk of in-hospital mortality.
Zinc deficiency increases the risk for all sorts of infections, as the article states, including COVID-19. But this is nothing new: keeping a healthy, balanced diet and getting enough of all nutrients is important for everything in health.
Big maybe, since this is a correlation. Supplementation could have no effect. It is also pales in comparison to the effect of vaccinations.
It might aswell indicate that severe COVID causes reduced levels of zinc. Correlations need to be tested experimentally (e.g., like the vaccines).
Exactly. This is a preliminary study, and I’m worried that like with so many preliminary studies the anti-vaxxers will run with it as a substitute for vaccination.
Now, mineral prices will go up.
You can get zinc in the right food. And mineral supplements are in such small quantities I don’t see demand overwhelming the supply.
