Zinc Supplementation Shows Promise in Treatment of TBI

A researcher at the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine has been investigating the effects of low-zinc diets on cell stress following a blast injury. To explore the possible effects of zinc supplementation on wounded troops suffering from traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), Dr. Angus Scrimgeour’s animal study recreated blast injuries in 32 rats similar to what soldiers experience from improvised explosive devices (IEDs), including loss of consciousness. The results suggest that zinc supplementation reduces blast-induced cell stress. “We know that soldiers’ brain tissue cannot repair on low-zinc diets,” said Scrimgeour. To learn more about the study, click here.