Zinc L-Carnosine

Also Known As

Pepzin | Polaprezinc | Promac | L-CAZ | Z-103

What is Zinc L-Carnosine (ZnC)?

ZnC is a synthesized chelate of the mineral zinc and the amino acid L-carnosine (a dipeptide of beta-alanine and l-histidine) in a 1:1 ratio. For over 20 years, zinc carnosine has been used in Japan for promoting healing of gastric mucosa.

ZnC helps relieve gastric discomfort and promotes healthy stomach lining and the environment.

ZnC can help with heartburn, diarrhea, abdominal tenderness, and constipation by supporting the integrity of the gastrointestinal tract, by promoting secretion of healthy mucus, preventing inflammatory induced damage to the GI tract, and reducing intestinal hyper-permeability by regulating the tight junctions of the intestinal lining.

Most carnosine research has shown its potential as an antiglycation agent that promotes mitochondrial and cellular function by acting as an antioxidant and free-radical scavenger. Not only does it act on its own to inhibit ROS activity, but it has also been observed in rats to promote the endogenous production of antioxidants like glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD,  and inhibit the production of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), which contribute to the development of diseases.

There are several studies that support ZnC’s benefits in restoring the gastric lining, healing the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, healing stomach ulcers, reflux and heartburn, improving taste disorders, and enhancing skin and the liver.
Zinc supplementation can also help resolve intestinal permeability in patients with Crohn’s disease.

Zinc by itself can regulate the tight junctions of the intestinal lining, which limits gut permeability.

The use of zinc in combination with carnosine is innovative, due to the synergistic effects and beneficial properties as a combination.

ZnC upregulated the expression of HSP27 and HSP72, and inhibition of HSPs synthesis abolished the cytoprotective effect of ZnC against H2O2-induced cell death 

Carnosine is ONLY found in animal products, and Zinc is also mainly found in animal products also (bioavailability is poor in plants), so ZnC would be highly beneficial for those not eating animal products.

One study demonstrated that vegetarians have less than 50 percent of the amount of carnosine in their muscle tissue than omnivores do. Carnosine’s effectiveness is cumulative; its effects become greater the longer you take it and let it accumulate in your body.

Zinc L Carnosine Studies:

Hewlings, S., & Kalman, D. (2020). A Review of Zinc-L-Carnosine and Its Positive Effects on Oral Mucositis, Taste Disorders, and Gastrointestinal Disorders. Nutrients, 12(3), 665. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12030665 

Lyseng-Williamson, K.A. Zinc L-carnosine in gastric ulcers: a profile of its use. Drugs Ther Perspect 35, 463–469 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40267-019-00667-z

Mahmood, A., FitzGerald, A. J., Marchbank, T., Ntatsaki, E., Murray, D., Ghosh, S., & Playford, R. J. (2007). Zinc carnosine, a health food supplement that stabilises small bowel integrity and stimulates gut repair processes. Gut, 56(2), 168–175. https://doi.org/10.1136/gut.2006.099929

Miyoshi, A. Matsu, H et al. (1995). Clinical Evaluation of Zinc Carnosine in Treatment of Gastritis. http://www.citicam.net/moondance/pdf/4.pdf

Odashima, M., Otaka, M., Jin, M., Wada, I., Horikawa, Y., Matsuhashi, T., Ohba, R., Hatakeyama, N., Oyake, J., & Watanabe, S. (2006). Zinc L-carnosine protects colonic mucosal injury through induction of heat shock protein 72 and suppression of NF-kappaB activation. Life sciences, 79(24), 2245–2250. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lfs.2006.07.032

Ooi, T. C., Chan, K. M., & Sharif, R. (2017). Antioxidant, Anti-inflammatory, and Genomic Stability Enhancement Effects of Zinc l-carnosine: A Potential Cancer Chemopreventive Agent?. Nutrition and cancer, 69(2), 201–210. https://doi.org/10.1080/01635581.2017.1265132

Sakae, K., Agata, T., Kamide, R. and Yanagisawa, H. (2013). Effects of L‐Carnosine and Its Zinc Complex (Polaprezinc) on Pressure Ulcer Healing. Nutrition in Clinical Practice, 28: 609-616. https://doi.org/10.1177/0884533613493333

Sharif, R., Thomas, P., Zalewski, P., Graham, R. D., & Fenech, M. (2011). The effect of zinc sulphate and zinc carnosine on genome stability and cytotoxicity in the WIL2-NS human lymphoblastoid cell line. Mutation research, 720(1-2), 22–33. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mrgentox.2010.12.004

Sturniolo, G. C., Fries, W., Mazzon, E., Di Leo, V., Barollo, M., & D’inca, R. (2002). Effect of zinc supplementation on intestinal permeability in experimental colitis. The Journal of laboratory and clinical medicine, 139(5), 311–315. https://doi.org/10.1067/mlc.2002.123624

Sturniolo, G. C., Di Leo, V., Ferronato, A., D’Odorico, A., & D’Incà, R. (2001). Zinc supplementation tightens “leaky gut” in Crohn’s disease. Inflammatory bowel diseases, 7(2), 94–98. https://doi.org/10.1097/00054725-200105000-00003