Combined zinc and vitamin A supplementation reduces diarrhoea and dysentery

Vitamin A supplementation often fails to reduce morbidity in children in developing countries, possibly owing to coexisting deficiencies of zinc and vitamin A. Rahman et al (p 314) found that combined zinc and vitamin A supplementation in Bangladeshi children was more effective in reducing persistent diarrhoea and dysentery than either vitamin A or zinc alone. Zinc supplementation alone was associated with a significant increase in acute lower respiratory infections, but this effect was reduced by combining zinc with vitamin A.


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Relevant Article

Simultaneous zinc and vitamin A supplementation in Bangladeshi children: randomised double blind controlled trial
Mohammad M Rahman, Sten H Vermund, Mohammad A Wahed, George J Fuchs, Abdullah H Baqui, and Jose O Alvarez
BMJ 2001 323: 314-318. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

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