A trial of oral zinc supplementation in psoriasis.

A controlled double-blind study of oral zinc supplementation was performed in twenty-five patients with chronic plaque psoriasis over twelve weeks to assess changes in both psoriasis (using the psoriasis area and severity index) and neutrophil zinc content. There were no statistically significant differences in the psoriasis area and severity index during the trial between the placebo- and zinc-treated group, nor in the zinc levels. There was therefore no evidence of a benefit from zinc supplementation in patients with this disease.