AUA 2007 - High Doses of Zinc Increase Risk of Urinary Complications

[icnmgrjill]

This week, the annual American Urological Association Conference is occurring. Though their coverage of IC is minimal this year (likely due to the BIG federal conference six months ago), they do have some fascinating new research studies that I'll share with you!

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High-Dose Zinc Increases Hospital Admissions Due to Genitourinary Complications

Aaron Johnson, MD, Alejandro Munoz, PhD, Justin Gottlieb, MD, David F Jarrard, MD. University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI

Presented on May 19 2007

Introduction and Objective: Zinc is a common dietary supplement that is widely believed to have beneficial health effects. To assess the impact of high-dose supplemental zinc on genitourinary diseases, we analyzed a recent randomized trial comparing zinc, antioxidants, and their combination, to placebo for complications related to the genitourinary tract.

Methods: In a further analysis of the recent Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS), we examined the data pool for primary ICD-9 codes given for hospital admissions related to urologic problems. AREDS randomized 3640 patients with age-related macular degeneration to one of four study arms [placebo; antioxidants (vitamin C, 500 mg; vitamin E, 400 IU, beta carotene 15 mg); zinc 80 mg; and antioxidant + zinc]. Statistical analyses using Fisher’s exact test were performed.

Results: We find a significant increase in hospital admissions due to genitourinary causes for patients taking zinc formulations compared to non-zinc formulations (11.1% vs 7.6%; p=0.0003). The risk was greatest for male patients (p=0.008; RR=1.26, 95%CI: 1.07-1.50). For the study group requiring admission (n=343), the most common primary ICD-9 codes included benign prostatic hyperplasia/urinary retention (BPH), urinary tract infection, urinary lithiasis, and renal failure. Comparing zinc to placebo, significant increases in urinary tract infections (p=0.004) were found, especially for females (2.3% vs. 0.4%, p=0.013; RR=5.77, 95%CI: 1.30-25.66). Admissions for urinary lithiasis approached significance in men taking zinc compared to placebo (2.0% vs 0.5%; p=0.061; RR=4.08, 95%CI: 0.87-19.10). There was no increase in prostate or other cancers with zinc supplementation. A significant decrease in prostate cancer diagnoses was seen in patients taking antioxidants when compared to placebo (p=0.049; RR=0.6, 95%CI: 0.49-0.86). Subgroup analysis reveals this finding was significant for men who smoked, but not in non-smokers.

Conclusions: Zinc supplementation at high levels results in increased hospitalizations for urinary complications compared to placebo. These data support the hypothesis that high-dose zinc supplementation has a negative effect on selected aspects of urinary physiology.

[carly2]

How much zinc is considered a high dose? I take it every day..50 mg..fro some hair loss due to Elmiron and hypothrodism.

Thanks,
Carly

[Claredale]

I would like to know as well. I take Zinc for my hairloss.

Tracey

[Vampireness]

Some response and further details on the Zinc would be good, like the dosage that's considered high, surprised that wasn't included in above report.

I take Zinc everyday at 25mg

[carly2]

Did anyone ever find out how much zinc is bad?

[Vampireness]

Nope. Just that Zinc is bad....a report without good informatoin, I've just ignored this.

Plus, I think 25mg to 50mg everyday isn't considered high.

[ICNDonna]

The Patient Handbook has a section showing daily requirements for the various minerals --- if you go to http://www.ic-network.com/handbook/vitamins.html#zinc you will find that only 11 mg is needed for a female and 8 mg for a male.

So yes, 25 to 50 milligrams would be considered very high.

Donna

[Vampireness]

I looked at the website. It also states, "Intakes of 150 to 450 mg of zinc per day have been associated with low copper status, altered iron function, reduced immune function, and reduced levels of high-density lipoproteins (the good cholesterol)."
http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/cc/zinc.html

"The tolerable upper intake level (UL) for safety and health is 40 milligrams per day for adults."
"The U.S. RDA for zinc is 15 milligrams per day."

Because, our diet has to be customized I think most of us, don't get the correct intake of zinc. I know I don't and my nurse recommended 25mg of Zinc everyday.
Perhaps 50mg is higher than the tolerable level but it's not too high according to the website, you've pasted and others.

But, then again, the main question was, how much is too high according to the AUA 2007 meeting. We all know the previous studies and what they stated. What was needed was the new figure that's considered high enough to cause urinary complications.

Vampireness

[Vampireness]

The second quote was from there:
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/5000/5560.html

What happened to the edit feature?....

[carly2]

Nope. Just that Zinc is bad....a report without good informatoin, I've just ignored this.

Plus, I think 25mg to 50mg everyday isn't considered high.



I think you have the right idea..I will ignore too. yeah, i don't think we are taking a high dose. I'm just sensitive to everything I take, it seems like so..more info would have been better and more responsible.

[carly2]

Where IS the edit feature? I also only saw your reply and not the one with Donna telling about the dosage. But then..we still don't know, as you said, what would cause urinary problems.

:cat: :toilet:

[Vampireness]

Yeah Carly, it doesn't make sense to just state out of nowhere, it's too high and not tell us how much lol

Plus 50mg is not TOO much according to those studies, enough to cause health risks.

I wish Jill would update us on how much is too much.

But, yeah alots of us are sensitive just like Vitamin C and some can take it and some can't etc same with Marshmallow Root and it's what works best for ya.

I see that you had UTIs since 20, have they subsided?

[Vampireness]

Oh yeah, I think the edit feature is removed in this thread......it seems to work in the other thread. Maybe, because it's an announce thread? I haven't checked. But, what a wonderful feature edit button was, so I don't have to post again to add/correct things I've said. Like this now lol

[carly2]

LOL I love edit..:) As for my UTI's..well no they haven't. But I hadn't had one in a long time..since my kidney stone and just last week, i had a nasty one. It made me flare, of course and it felt like i had crushed glass in my bladder. Ahhh life is good..lol

I love your pic of the 'prisoner in your own body". Good pic and so apt for me, too.

:cat: :toilet:

[Vampireness]

Yayyy you're the first one to notice what I was trying to show from this picture, I know quite alot of can relate, when I saw this it just spoke for me.

Aww, I'm sorry about the stone, how are doing now?
How many stones have you had? What treatment you on? I think I'm going to go nuts without the edit feature.

I spelled informatoin above, sounded like I'm french or something and that's when I searched for the edit feature lol

[carly2]

Yayyy you're the first one to notice what I was trying to show from this picture, I know quite alot of can relate, when I saw this it just spoke for me.

Aww, I'm sorry about the stone, how are doing now?
How many stones have you had? What treatment you on? I think I'm going to go nuts without the edit feature.

I spelled informatoin above, sounded like I'm french or something and that's when I searched for the edit feature lol


well my stone was in 2004, it was large so I had it removed. If we had the edit feature I would go into it deeper, but I am not that good a typist and don't want you to have to read a novel.lol Then you are likely to get stones again after that.I had one small one about two years ago that I drank lots of water for, and i passed it. It was the size of gravel. I had some Vicodin so that helped too. They cause alot of nausea.

Anyway in 2004, That whole thing started off a series of events that had me in ICU. To be brief, I had 5 different stents..a hard rubber thing they put in your ureter and it goes down in the bladder ..(to irritate it,) so you can pass the little bits of stone that they don't get when they blast the big one. Anyway..after all of that I recover in a year and a half ..only to be diagnosed with IC. yay/ I think the stents had alot to do with the IC coming.

I am on hydroxyzine pamoate ( Vistaril) can't take Elmiron. and I take neurontin, hoping for some relief..and flaxseed oil capsules and zinc. Cr*p
the magnensium tablets get caught in my throat!

I love your pic. did you do that yourself? Wish I could do graphics.

As for the French, I know a little.. so I will understand you.. lol

:cat: :toilet:

[carly2]

I didn't mean to act like I am fluent in French or anything..wanted to clear that up. Since no edit feature..lol I just know a *little* of it. It's hard to remember.

[Vampireness]

Salut My french is soooooooooooo basic lol. Haha your last sentence made me laugh.

Your stones, and especially being in the ICU room with some hard rubber, must be so painful, I've never heard of something like that.....but it sounds like one of those things you hear and you're like, "it's not impossible to get into the urethera! and you shouldn't even if you could!" it's scary.

Yeah, I've heard about breaking down the big stone and the tiny ones causing alots of discomfort. Hey have you tried Marshmallow Root and Cornsilk, I read that it's useful for kidney stones, especially the marshmallow root.

I haven't taken Magnesium tablets before but my hugeeeeeeeeeee garlic pill tablets and previously Vitamin C and my antibiotic, get caught in the thoart slighty. Are you able to break it up? It censored your word...Cr*p?? Don't know what they means.

I hear to hear others story so don't worry about long novels, though there are some fake people I call it, who write only to praise a certain thing/person and that starts to creep me out and make me think they are advertising a product more than sharing their story and that alone bores me.

But, I agree about the edit feature and being difficult to compose something. We can talk through email if you like, I can PM you with my email.

And the picture, no I found it on a video for anoxeria, with a song on YouTube. You can search it, if you want, it's a nice song which shows on Niptuck (never watched the show), but I saw the advertisement. The song is called, "so damn beautiful" and I think a person xxxtearsxxx, made the video. The images are disturbing, because some of them are real people with anoxeric condition and the picture just caught my attention and how I always say, "I feel like I'm trapped in my body" and am not able to do many things, I'm motivated to. All, I did was add the words, so I can't take credit for anything lol.

I do have Photoshop though, but I'm not good at it. Do you use any graphic programs?

[carly2]

Sure email is fine and I know what you mean about fakeness. I don't like that at all.. the word was crap..lol

I don't know alot about graphics but I am interested..

I have to go to my step-days urology procedure to sit with my Mom..hahaha I don't mind doing it for her..but I hate going to those places now! Don't we see enough of them? And he shares a Uro with me so I will likely see him. I like him alot but didn't really want to see him today..lol

:cat:

[Vampireness]

I totally know what you mind, sometimes it feels like a reminder you're ill too lol no matter how pleasant they are.

You mean your step dads urology procedure, you typed step days lol I was like..huh for awhile and it's fine about the French, just that I was making fun of myself typing "informatoin" and you were like, "it's okay I can understand French" lol

I call my typos German mostly, when I am on instant messenger and end up typing too fast, it'll come out like "jiww tmno" lol and my "lol" will be "kik" or ";p;".

But, just repeating "informatoin", sounded French, hehe. I'll PM you.

Yeah, fakeness lol crapness and Vampireness too lol

[Briza]

This week, the annual American Urological Association Conference is occurring. Though their coverage of IC is minimal this year (likely due to the BIG federal conference six months ago), they do have some fascinating new research studies that I'll share with you!

-------
High-Dose Zinc Increases Hospital Admissions Due to Genitourinary Complications

Aaron Johnson, MD, Alejandro Munoz, PhD, Justin Gottlieb, MD, David F Jarrard, MD. University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI

Presented on May 19 2007

Introduction and Objective: Zinc is a common dietary supplement that is widely believed to have beneficial health effects. To assess the impact of high-dose supplemental zinc on genitourinary diseases, we analyzed a recent randomized trial comparing zinc, antioxidants, and their combination, to placebo for complications related to the genitourinary tract.

Methods: In a further analysis of the recent Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS), we examined the data pool for primary ICD-9 codes given for hospital admissions related to urologic problems. AREDS randomized 3640 patients with age-related macular degeneration to one of four study arms [placebo; antioxidants (vitamin C, 500 mg; vitamin E, 400 IU, beta carotene 15 mg); zinc 80 mg; and antioxidant + zinc]. Statistical analyses using Fisher’s exact test were performed.

Results: We find a significant increase in hospital admissions due to genitourinary causes for patients taking zinc formulations compared to non-zinc formulations (11.1% vs 7.6%; p=0.0003). The risk was greatest for male patients (p=0.008; RR=1.26, 95%CI: 1.07-1.50). For the study group requiring admission (n=343), the most common primary ICD-9 codes included benign prostatic hyperplasia/urinary retention (BPH), urinary tract infection, urinary lithiasis, and renal failure. Comparing zinc to placebo, significant increases in urinary tract infections (p=0.004) were found, especially for females (2.3% vs. 0.4%, p=0.013; RR=5.77, 95%CI: 1.30-25.66). Admissions for urinary lithiasis approached significance in men taking zinc compared to placebo (2.0% vs 0.5%; p=0.061; RR=4.08, 95%CI: 0.87-19.10). There was no increase in prostate or other cancers with zinc supplementation. A significant decrease in prostate cancer diagnoses was seen in patients taking antioxidants when compared to placebo (p=0.049; RR=0.6, 95%CI: 0.49-0.86). Subgroup analysis reveals this finding was significant for men who smoked, but not in non-smokers.

Conclusions: Zinc supplementation at high levels results in increased hospitalizations for urinary complications compared to placebo. These data support the hypothesis that high-dose zinc supplementation has a negative effect on selected aspects of urinary physiology.

The capsule/powder multi vitamin I take has 6.6 mg of zinc, and the bottle says that that is 45% of the % Daily Value .

It IS unfortunate that this study does not say what the researchers considered a high dose...so my question, too, is how much zinc would it take to cause urinary problems, regardless of what is considered the RDA dose (15 mg), or the highest tolerable adult dose (40 mg), as Vamp posted from info she received from another site.

[Briza]

Darn, I wanted to edit, too. The researchers administered 80 mg zinc...I just saw that when I re-read the study just now.

[Vampireness]

Don't you just love the edit feature right about now? lol

and hey Briza ....this is a long .....unresolved threat since there is no response to it, atleast so far.

I am going to reply to your PM through email.

Vampireness

[Vampireness]

thread** I mean lol

[Briza]

Vamp
LOL, I really thought it WAS an unresolved threat....for not replying to you thru reg email as requested :biglaugh:I will do so right now to resolve any future misunderstandings :biglaugh:

[Vampireness]

omg lmaooooooooo that was funny, I get it now on how it appeared, seeeeeee what the edit feature did!!! It wasn't me!!!! lolol

But don't make fun of me when you can't even spell my last name right and it's only four letters lolol :P

I'm going to read your Zinc email...but I think I already read the information from that website you sent, but yes I do each little meat and where was I ....oh yeah... I think alot of us, have dropped certain meat and food type, that's why I think in order to meet the minimum amount needed on a daily basis, a zinc supplement is required.

*Checks this post several times before clicking on THE "post quick reply" button. Dunn dunn dunnn* It's PERMANENT lol

[carly2]

I totally know what you mind, sometimes it feels like a reminder you're ill too lol no matter how pleasant they are.

You mean your step dads urology procedure, you typed step days lol I was like..huh for awhile and it's fine about the French, just that I was making fun of myself typing "informatoin" and you were like, "it's okay I can understand French" lol

I call my typos German mostly, when I am on instant messenger and end up typing too fast, it'll come out like "jiww tmno" lol and my "lol" will be "kik" or ";p;".

But, just repeating "informatoin", sounded French, hehe. I'll PM you.

Yeah, fakeness lol crapness and Vampireness too lol


yeah I did type step-"days" instead of DAD.. lol and couldn't fix it . I also made the mistake to saying i just had a kidney stone..when I meant to say I have had them and just had a bladder infection that made my bladder feel like glass was in it..LOL I am such an idiot typing..hahaha
As for the French thing, I knew what you meant.. i think no edit was mixing things up a little..I will never get a job typing..hehe

[Vampireness]

Well word processing programs even have edit feature so don't blame yourself lol.

Ah so you had kidney stone before... There is this theory that the stones are stuck somewhere in there and so infection continues...

I replied your PM through email :-D

Vampireness