Dear Pharmacist: I take Nexium for heartburn and Vasotec for blood pressure. I’m losing my hearing and some of my hair. I have symptoms of an enlarged prostate so my doctor prescribed Proscar. Will it interact with the other drugs that I’m already taking? – L.A., Denver
Dear L.A.: No, it won’t interact. But your symptoms sound a lot like zinc deficiency. It used to only occur in underdeveloped countries, but today it occurs in regular folks who take drugs that reduce zinc levels in the body.
These include antacids, antibiotics, birth control pills, hormone replacement drugs for hot flashes, acid-blocking drugs (Nexium, Prilosec, Tagamet, Zantac, etc), furosemide, Lotensin, Enalapril, Atacand HCT, HCTZ (Hydrochlorothiazide) and cholestyramine (Questran).You take two of these meds.
Signs of deficiency include frequent colds or infections because zinc is necessary to fight the germs. You may have cold hands and feet, foggy thinking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, brittle nails and worsening vision. You may not hear or smell things as well as you used to and you may be losing your hair. You may have skin problems like acne, psoriasis, eczema, boils or very slow wound healing.
Teenage boys may need a little extra zinc as they go through puberty to ensure fertility and produce healthy sperm in their reproductive years. Zinc is great for skin and it may get acne breakouts under control. Low zinc can cause stunted growth, learning disabilities and mental retardation in severe cases.
Older men derive the most benefit from zinc because it helps prevent prostatitis, enlarged prostate, hair loss, hearing loss and high cholesterol. A deficiency of zinc could spell trouble in the bedroom too.
You could benefit from zinc if you:
Have conditions that affect the brain such as epilepsy, schizophrenia, obsessive compulsive;
Have an eating disorder (anorexia or bulimia);
If you drink alcohol or coffee.
Put this on your plate for more zinc: Oysters, seafood, ginger root, split peas, nuts, pumpkin, sunflower, egg yolks, whole wheat and almonds. Or supplement with a good brand. Don’t overdo the zinc because it will throw your copper out of balance. A safe dose is about 10-20 mg daily with food.
This information is not intended to treat, cure or diagnose your condition. Visit DearPharmacist.com.
