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Journal of Dental Research
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Clinical

Zinc Gluconate in the Treatment of Dysgeusia—a Randomized Clinical Trial

S.M. Heckmann1,*, P. Hujoel2, S. Habiger1, W. Friess3, M. Wichmann1, J.G. Heckmann4 and T. Hummel5

1 School of Dental Medicine, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Glückstr. 11, 91054 Erlangen, Germany;
2 Dept. of Dental Public Health Sciences, School of Dentistry, University of Washington, Seattle, USA;
3 Dept. of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmaceutics, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany;
4 Dept. of Neurology, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany; and
5 Smell & Taste Clinic, Dept. of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Dresden, Germany;

Correspondence: * corresponding author, siegfried.heckmann{at}rzmail.uni-erlangen.de

In the treatment of dysgeusia, the use of zinc has been frequently tried, with equivocal results. The aim of the present randomized clinical trial, which involved a sufficiently large sample, was therefore to determine the efficacy of zinc treatment. Fifty patients with idiopathic dysgeusia were carefully selected. Zinc gluconate (140 mg/day; n = 26) or placebo (lactose; n = 24) was randomly assigned to the patients. The patients on zinc improved in terms of gustatory function (p < 0.001) and rated the dysgeusia as being less severe (p < 0.05). Similarly, signs of depression in the zinc group were less severe (Beck Depression Inventory, p < 0.05; mood scale, p < 0.05). With the exception of the salivary calcium level, which was higher in the zinc patients (p < 0.05), no other significant group differences were found. In conclusion, zinc appears to improve general gustatory function and, consequently, general mood scores in dysgeusia patients.

Key Words: dysgeusia • gustatory function • mood • zinc therapy

Journal of Dental Research, Vol. 84, No. 1, 35-38 (2005)
DOI: 10.1177/154405910508400105
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