Q. How much zinc is in Zicam?
A. Here is a post from the Silicon Investor "GUMM...Eliminate the common cold" thread.
To: Dan Zimmermann (1166 )
From: Howard D. Epstein, M.D. Saturday, Oct 23 1999 2:53PM ET Reply # of 1255
While we are providing calculations, I decided to calculate the amount of zinc in Zicam(tm) lest there be any question about the stupid irrelevant homeopathic BS argument. Here are my numbers: Calculation for zinc exposure from Zicam. Although the label says 120 metered doses, I assume 2 nostrils per episode, so I double their metered amount to make an actual patient dose, then figured 5 sprays in each nostril (5 doses) per day. Zn = 65 g/mole, has 2+ charge as ion The chemical formula for Zinc Gluconate would be Zn (C6 H11 07)2. I do not know how to type subscripts here. The mw of Zn Gluconate would be 455 g/mole. Gluconate has 1- charge as ion so there are 2 gluconates in each mole of zinc gluconate. So molecular weight of Zn Gluconate is 65+195+195 =455 grams/mole 455 grams/mole (1000mg/gram)(1 mole/1000millimoles)=455mg per millimole of Zn Gluconate. Of this, 65 mg will be ionic zinc. Zicam (tm) is a 2% solution, about 0.033 mmole/ml. (65mg/millimole)(.033millimoles/milliliter) (0.125ml/nostril)(2 nostrils/dose)=0.536mg per dose. 5 doses per day will be 2.68 mg applied total per patient per day. By the way, the RDA for Zinc is 15 mg according to the multivitamin bottle in front of me, so even if you take an extra dose and assume 100% absorption, you are at 1/5 of the RDA. Even assuming a 100% error you can take home two messages from this: 1. There is real zinc in Zicam(tm), not an infinitesimal amount. 2. It is not enough zinc so as to be concerned with excess zinc absorption, even if you take 2 or 3 times the recommended amount. These two statements do not contradict each other. web.archive.org |
