ADD- Is Zinc the answer?

We are always looking for more and better solutions to Attention Deficit Disorder, so I was pleased to read a study published last month in the Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology, entitled Zinc for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: placebo-controlled double-blind pilot trial alone and combined with amphetamine, that looked at the role of ZINC in treating ADD. There have been some studies published in other countries that suggest supplemental dietary zinc may improve symptoms of ADD. This pilot study was small (as pilot studies should be) including just over 50 children.

The kids received zinc or placebo alone for the first two months, and there was no consistent, statistically significant advantage to taking zinc alone (vs. placebo). Then, the children were randomized to receive either zinc plus amphetamine (such as Ritalin) or a placebo plus the amphetamine for the next five weeks. Here is where the results are encouraging. Although the symptoms of inattention were not better for the kids who received the zinc plus amphetamine, the good news is that those receiving the zinc supplement required 37% less amphetamine to receive the same results compared with those taking amphetamine plus placebo.

Simply restated, the zinc seemed to help the amphetamine work more efficiently, so that a LOWER DOSE of the amphetamine achieved the desired results. Why is this important? Because lower effective doses mean LESS SIDE EFFECTS. So, should you rush out and buy zinc to supplement your child's ADD medications? No, I wouldn't do that based on a study with only 50 kids. However, while we're waiting for future studies with more significant numbers, why not be sure your child is meeting the recommended daily allowance for zinc? (~10mg per day for teens) What foods contain the most zinc? Seeds (pumpkin, sesame, watermelon), wheat germ, chocolate and peanuts. Hmm...maybe Snickers had the right idea! Or a healthier choice would be to head for the hummus (made with tahini- sesame seed paste.)

BOTTOM LINE: Zinc may help reduce the amount of amphetamine medication needed to improve symptoms of ADD.

Zinc for Colds?

If Vitamin C is not the answer to prevention or treatment of colds, what about zinc? Around 25 years ago, studies showed that zinc lozenges could significantly reduce the duration of the common cold. Since that time, the medical literature has been conflicting, with roughly half of the studies showing benefit, and half appearing equal to placebo.

Zinc nasal preparations were then released, but in 2009, the FDA issued a warning that these intranasal zinc preparations had the potential to cause permanent loss of smell, so they are no longer recommended.

It turns out that you need to have ionic zinc in the lozenges to be effective, and the vast majority of products out there do not have this type of zinc. Taking zinc supplements in pill form doesn't work either, so don't be fooled into swallowing yet another pill.

What DOES work? Well, the best prevention is what your mom most likely taught you growing up: WASH YOUR HANDS! It doesn't matter if you use the hand sanitizer or old-fashioned soap and water, but whatever you use, scrub for 20 to 30 seconds, and try not to touch your face or eyes.

BOTTOM LINE: If you are going to use zinc to try to shorten the duration of your cold, get an ionic zinc lozenge preparation. More importantly, however, WASH YOUR HANDS!

Can You Smell That?

Did you know that smells provide your strongest sense of memory? A quick whiff of sunscreen make take you to childhood beach memories, hairspray back to high school, freshly baked cookies back home or perhaps a certain cologne to a special person. Yesterday, I had the pleasure of smelling "fall" as I hiked through a beautiful aspen grove, the path covered in what my daughter calls the "crunchy golden blanket" of leaves. Too bad we can't bottle up that marvelous smell of nature!

Smell might be the sense we think about the least- until there is a problem with it. Without smell, taste is muted, leading to either decreased appetite or overeating (or over-spicing!) as we try to find something to satisfy a craving. If you wonder about your sense of smell, see if you can distinguish some common smells such as cinnamon, peanut butter, vanilla, coffee or lemon.

What causes your sense of smell to decrease or disappear? Some people are simply born without a sense of smell. Most commonly, however, we see transient lack of smell (the medical term is anosmia) from nasal congestion due to colds or allergies. Smoking, of course, not only destroys taste buds, but also decreases the ability to smell. Overuse of nonprescription nasal sprays such as Afrin is another common cause. Less common are medical disorders such as zinc deficiency and hypothyroidism, and rarely loss of smell can be a sign of diseases in the frontal lobe of the brain such as tumors or dementia.

BOTTOM LINE: If you notice you can no longer distinguish smells very well (and have no obvious cause such as a cold, chronic allergies or smoking habit), it's time to head to your doctor for a check up!