L-OptiZinc

300 enzymatic processes need zinc (Zn)

Zinc, like iron, copper and chromium, is one of 16 essential trace minerals the body needs to keep healthy and fit. For people that are sick or out of shape, zinc may be the most precious metal of all. Zinc is essential for growth and development, reproduction, digestion, respiration, and for proper brain, nerve, vision and immune function. Also our fatty acid conversions requires zinc. L-OptiZinc® is a unique, patented forms of methionine-bound zinc that dramatically increase the bioavailability of zinc. Researchers have shown that L-OptiZinc® is by far the most potent zinc antioxidants available as a dietary supplement. Rejuvenal uses L-OptiZinc in PhytoMatrix.

Oxidative-antioxidant status of Fasciola hepatica-infected rats supplemented with zinc. A mathematical model for zinc bioaccumulation and host growth.

Gabrashanska M, Teodorova SE, Anisimova M. Parasitol Res. 2008 Aug 29. [Epub ahead of print] Links
Institute of Experimental Pathology and Parasitology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Str., Bl. 25, 1113, Sofia, Bulgaria.
The oxidative-antioxidant status of male Wistar rats infected or uninfected with Fasciola hepatica (Trematoda) and supplemented or unsupplemented with 2Gly.ZnCl(2).2H(2)O was tested through liver biomarkers. The oxidative marker was malondialdehyde concentration. The antioxidant markers were glutathione peroxidase activity and concentrations of zinc, selenium, vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin E.

The animals were allocated into four groups. The experiment covered 8 weeks post infection. The gain in the host body weight and rats' mortality were also studied. A mathematical model was elaborated to describe the kinetics of concentrations of liver zinc. The kinetic parameters calculated reflect the peculiarities in zinc absorption in different conditions. Also, a model was proposed for the time course of host body weight. The model solutions were in good agreement with the experimental data. The supplementation of the rats with dietary Zn improved their antioxidant status. Increases by 9% in GPX activity, 6% in Vitamin A concentration, 3% in Vitamin C concentration, 35% in Vitamin E concentration, 17% in liver Zn concentration, and 11% in liver Se concentration, respectively, and a decrease by 30% in liver MDA concentration were recorded in the infected and supplemented towards infected and unsupplemented rats. Also, an increase by 6% in body weight in supplemented animals was established.

Supplementation with vitamin C, vitamin E or beta-carotene influences osmotic fragility and oxidative damage of erythrocytes of zinc-deficient rats.

Kraus A, Roth HP, Kirchgessner M. J Nutr. 1997 Jul;127(7):1290-6. Links
Institut für Ernährungsphysiologie der Technischen Universität München-Weihenstephan, 85350 Freising, Germany.
Dietary zinc deficiency in rats causes increased osmotic fragility of their erythrocytes. In this study, the influence of supplementary antioxidants (vitamin C, vitamin E or beta-carotene) on osmotic fragility, oxidative damage and components of the primary defense system of erythrocytes of zinc-deficient rats was investigated. Indicators of hemolysis in vivo were also examined. Five groups of 12 male rats were force-fed a zinc-adequate diet (control rats), a zinc-deficient diet or a zinc-deficient diet enriched with vitamin C, vitamin E or beta-carotene. Compared with the control rats, the rats fed the zinc-deficient diet without supplementary antioxidants had greater red blood cell osmotic fragility, higher concentrations of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances and alanine, higher glutathione S-transferase activity, lower concentration of glutathione and activity of glutathione peroxidase as well as lower activity of superoxide dismutase in plasma (P < 0.05). Supplementation with antioxidants generally improved osmotic fragility in zinc-deficient rats without influencing zinc concentration or alkaline phosphatase activity in plasma, indicators of zinc status. At some of the hypotonic saline concentrations tested, vitamin C and beta-carotene significantly affected osmotic fragility. The zinc-deficient rats fed a diet without supplementary antioxidants had significantly higher concentrations of alanine in erythrocytes than the zinc-deficient rats supplemented with vitamin C, vitamin E or beta-carotene and had significantly higher levels of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances in erythrocytes than the rats supplemented with beta-carotene. There was no indication of hemolysis in vivo in rats fed zinc-deficient diets. The results show that supplementary antioxidants decrease osmotic fragility and oxidative damage of erythrocytes in zinc-deficient rats.

Frequent inadequate supply of micronutrients in fast food induces oxidative stress and inflammation in testicular tissues of weanling rats.

El-Seweidy MM, Hashem RM, Abo-El-matty DM, Mohamed RH.

J Pharm Pharmacol. 2008 Sep;60(9):1237-42.Links
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zagazig University, Egypt.
Fast food is high in energy density and low in essential micronutrient density, especially zinc (Zn), of which antioxidant processes are dependent. We have tested the hypothesis that frequent fast food consumption could induce oxidative damage associated with inflammation in weanling male rats in relevance to Zn deprivation, which could adversely affect testis function. Zn and iron (in plasma and testicular tissue), plasma antioxidant vitamins (A, E, and C), as well as testicular superoxide dismutase (SOD) and reduced glutathione (GSH), lipid peroxidation indexes (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and lipoprotein oxidation susceptibility (LOS)), and inflammatory markers (plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) and testicular tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha)) were determined. Serum testosterone and histological examination of the testis were performed also. We found a severe decrease in antioxidant vitamins and Zn, with concomitant iron accumulation. Zinc deficiency correlated positively with SOD, GSH, antioxidant vitamins and testosterone, and negatively with TBARS, LOS, CRP and TNF-alpha, demonstrating a state of oxidative stress and inflammation. We concluded that micronutrient deficiency, especially Zn, enhanced oxidative stress and inflammation in testicular tissue leading to underdevelopment of testis and decreased testosterone levels.