I’ve been reading more and more recently, as I am sure have you, about the connection between a loss of taste and smell and Covid-19, the disease caused by an infection of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
One of the challenges facing healthcare workers in the face of this pandemic is how to diagnose new cases and control the spread – flattening the curve as it has been referred to. This is especially important because of the delayed onset of clinical symptoms – people often have the virus, but show no signs of being ill.
Could the loss of taste and smell, which seems to precede the onset of COVID-19 be an early warning sign?
This is something that has caught the attention of the likes of Dr. Joe Pizzorno and other Functional Medicine practitioners: that patients with zinc deficiency, a mineral that is vital for optimal immune function and for the resistance to viral infections, also present with a loss of smell and taste. If so, is there a connection between loss of smell and taste and zinc deficiency?
We know how important zinc is for the immune system so we may be seeing the early manifestation of zinc deficiency in these patients. So if that’s the case, how can we assess our patients to see if zinc deficiency is an issue?
So the presentation below will take a look at how we can use some of our Functional Diagnostic Medicine assessments to help our patients uncover a hidden zinc deficiency using blood chemistry analysis and the Zinc Taste Test.
Handouts for Zinc Taste Test
Zinc Taste Test - The Patient Handout - CLICK HERE to download
Zinc Taste Test - The Practitioner Handout - CLICK HERE to download
Links to interesting articles and other resources:
Lost smell and taste hinting at COVID-19 infection - The Scientist: CLICK HERE to read
Evidence of the COVID-19 Virus Targeting the CNS: CLICK HERE to read
Coincidence of COVID-19 epidemic and olfactory dysfunction outbreak: CLICK HERE to read
