Zinc for Muscle Cramps in cirrhosis

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Subject: INFO: Zinc for Muscle Cramps in cirrhosis> > > > WESTPORT, Feb 15 (Reuters Health) - Oral zinc> sulfate> > replacement therapy reduces the frequency and> severity of> > muscle cramps in patients with advanced liver> disease,> > according to a report published in the February> issue of the> > Journal of the American College of Nutrition. > > > > Dr. Marcelo Kugelmas, of the University of> Kentucky in> > Lexington, made the chance observation that muscle> cramp> > symptoms appeared to improve in liver transplant> patients> > given zinc supplementation for refractory> porto-systemic> > encephalopathy. In the present study, he assessed> the ability of> > zinc sulfate to improve frequency and severity of> muscle> > cramps in cirrhotic patients with hypozincemia. > > > > Dr. Kugelmas studied five patients with> Child's-Pugh category> > A cirrhosis, three with category B cirrhosis, and> four with> > category C disease. Participants completed> questionnaires> > regarding frequency, location, time of day and> severity of> > muscle cramps, and were then treated with oral 220> mg zinc> > sulfate b.i.d. for 12 weeks. > > > > At the end of the study, patients completed the> same> > questionnaire. According to the article, "zinc> supplementation> > improved cramps in 10/12 patients, and in seven of> these> > patients the cramps completely resolved." > > > > The only complication occurred in a single patient> who> > suffered mild watery diarrhea that abated when> zinc> > supplementation was discontinued at the end of the> study. > > > > Dr. Kugelmas notes that this is the first study to> suggest a link> > between zinc deficiency and muscle cramps in> cirrhotic> > patients. "Given the known consequences of> hypozincemia and> > the broad benefits of replacing zinc in this> setting, it would> > make sense to replace zinc in patients with> advanced liver> > disease who have muscle cramps and hypozincemia,"> he writes. > > > > J Am Coll Nutr 2000;19:13-15.

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