Dr. Brian Loftus, a Texas neurologist, alerted me to the possibility that the shortening of the effect of Botox can be reversed by taking a zinc supplement. Dr. Loftus shared an unpublished report by Houston physicians who showed that zinc supplementation can extend the effect of Botox.
There is a good theoretical reason to suggest that for Botox to work, you need to have sufficient amounts of zinc. You can read about this connection in a review article by one of the leading movement disorders specialist, Dr. Mark Hallet. He concludes that “Toxins are zinc dependent proteases, and supplemental zinc may produce a greater effect.”
It is very likely that taking zinc will benefit mostly people who are deficient. I just saw a patient in whom Botox provides relief for only 2 months and whose blood test showed a low zinc level. I suggested that he takes 50 mg of zinc every day.
Zinc is necessary for the activity of over 100 different enzymes that are involved in vital chemical processes of the body. Zinc is involved in the immune system, growth of cells, building proteins, and many other functions.
We might consider adding zinc to the usual battery of tests done on the first visit to our clinic. These include RBC magnesium, vitamins B12 and D, and routine blood tests.
