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Zinc in Taste and Smell Disorders

  • Conference paper
Trace Elements in Clinical Medicine

Abstract

The study provides the statistical results of clinical tests conducted on 1,500 cases whose main complaints consisted of taste disorder. It was verified, through zinc administration treatment and animal experiments, that a major part of these cases were disorder on the taste bud level, and that they were caused by zinc deficiency. We also obtained evidence that zinc deficiency can cause smell disorder, in some cases of olfactory epithelium disorders.

Cause of taste and smell disorders triggered by zinc deficiency continue to increase. The main causes are unbalanced diet, food additives and drug intake.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Nihon University, School of Medicine, 30-1 Oyaguchi, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo, 173, Japan

    Hiroshi Tomita

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  1. Hiroshi Tomita
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Nihon University School of Medicine, 173, Ohyaguchi, Itabashi-ku Tokyo, Japan

    Hiroshi Tomita M.D. (Professor and Chairman) (Professor and Chairman)

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© 1990 Springer-Verlag Tokyo

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Tomita, H. (1990). Zinc in Taste and Smell Disorders. In: Tomita, H. (eds) Trace Elements in Clinical Medicine. Springer, Tokyo. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-68120-5_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-68120-5_2

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Tokyo

  • Print ISBN: 978-4-431-68122-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-4-431-68120-5

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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