This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Cadmium is an environmental pollutant and known cause of kidney disease, osteoporosis and lung cancer. This occurs because in the human body, cadmium competes for a metal essential to health, zinc. Cigarettes, a major source of cadmium, create cadmium levels in smokers 4-5 times higher than in nonsmokers. Zinc is marketed to smokers as a way to reduce cadmium levels; however, whether zinc does reduce cadmium in the blood of smokers is unknown. The objective of this study is to determine if zinc supplementation in smokers will reduce the cadmium levels in their blood. Thirty smokers will be recruited to take daily oral supplements of 80mg zinc for 12 weeks with visits to GCRC approximately every two weeks to determine cadmium levels in blood and urine.
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