Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder in which abnormal hemoglobin causes normally flexible, round red blood cells to become stiff, sticky, and crescent-shaped. According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 7.74 million people worldwide were living with the condition in 2021. In this study, researchers found that children with sickle cell anemia receiving 20 mg of zinc each day had 38 percent fewer infections over a six-month period than those given a placebo.
The study involved 100 children between the ages of one and five receiving treatment at the Jinja Regional Referral Hospital in Uganda. Zinc deficiency is common among children with sickle cell anemia and may weaken their ability to fight infections. An earlier study using just 10 mg of zinc per day did not produce a significant benefit, suggesting that a higher daily amount may be necessary. The researchers point out that zinc is inexpensive, widely available, and was well tolerated at the dose used in the new study.
If further studies confirm the findings, the researchers believe zinc supplementation could provide a simple and very low-cost way of reducing illness and potentially saving lives among children affected by the disease.
To check out Dr. Rath’s Cellular Health recommendations for turbocharging the immune system, see this page on our website.
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August 28, 2026Daily 20 mg Dose of Zinc Reduces Infections by Nearly 40 Percent in Children with Sickle Cell Anemia
News
A daily 20-milligram dose of zinc reduced infections by nearly 40 percent among Ugandan children younger than 5 with sickle cell anemia, according to new research led by scientists at the Indiana University School of Medicine and their study partners in Uganda.
[Source: medicalxpress.com]
[Image source: pexels.com]
Comment
Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder in which abnormal hemoglobin causes normally flexible, round red blood cells to become stiff, sticky, and crescent-shaped. According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 7.74 million people worldwide were living with the condition in 2021. In this study, researchers found that children with sickle cell anemia receiving 20 mg of zinc each day had 38 percent fewer infections over a six-month period than those given a placebo.
The study involved 100 children between the ages of one and five receiving treatment at the Jinja Regional Referral Hospital in Uganda. Zinc deficiency is common among children with sickle cell anemia and may weaken their ability to fight infections. An earlier study using just 10 mg of zinc per day did not produce a significant benefit, suggesting that a higher daily amount may be necessary. The researchers point out that zinc is inexpensive, widely available, and was well tolerated at the dose used in the new study.
If further studies confirm the findings, the researchers believe zinc supplementation could provide a simple and very low-cost way of reducing illness and potentially saving lives among children affected by the disease.
To check out Dr. Rath’s Cellular Health recommendations for turbocharging the immune system, see this page on our website.
Dr. Rath Health Foundation
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