:: Medical Discovery News ::

This Show's About...

This radio program is a weekly series of episodes that provide insights into a broad range of biomedical science topics. We hope these episodes stimulate you to think, question and appreciate how science impacts you and your world.

University Federal Credit Union - Live, Learn, Prosper

Anosomia — or What Smell

Zinc in Zicam damages the receptors in the nose and can cause temporary or permanent loss of the sense of smell.(polls)

Heart Muscle Regeneration

A study revealed that after 25, about 1% of your heart muscle cells are replaced every year; about 1/2 of your heart’s muscle cells are replaced over a lifetime(polls)

Most requested episodes

This Week's Episode

Anosomia — or What Smell

I love my morning cup of coffee.

I know! It’s the smell… that’s what gets me up in the morning!

So Norbert, imagine not being able to smell that — or anything else!

According to the Food and Drug Administration, the FDA, some who used a product called Zicam lost their sense of smell. The agency recommends consumers stop using Zicam immediately and asked the company to not market the nasal spray unless it applies for a formal drug approval.

Zicam is not regulated by the FDA because it’s sold as a homeopathic remedy that claims to shorten the duration and severity of colds. A lesson here is — with alternative remedies you could be either wasting your money or, worse, risking your health.

With Zicam, the active ingredient is zinc, a naturally occurring mineral generally recognized as safe. But sometimes when sprayed into the nose, the mineral can damage receptors — reducing or eliminating the ability to smell.

Losing your sense of smell entirely is called anosmia. It can be caused by smoking, certain medications and diseases, the inhaling of some chemicals, obstructions, as well as trauma.

Without a sense of smell, eating and drinking lose their power and fun! Tastes lose their complexity, so that coffee may end up being bitter tasting water. Plus, you’d lose valuable environmental cues such as spoiled milk or the smell of smoke to warn you of a fire.

Treatments vary, depending on the cause. For example, surgery can cure those with obstructions such as polyps or deviated septums. One clinical trial involves using retinoic acid to stimulate the regrowth of the olfactory nerves.

As for Zicam, the FDA recommends consumers who have used Zicam to contact their physician if they’ve lost their sense of smell and to contact the agency.

Click here to email this page to a friend.

For more information…

Show must go on for UTMB professors

Dr. Norbert Herzog and Dr. David Niesel had to laugh when they recalled the first time they pitched their idea for a radio show devoted to biomedical science to a program manager at prominent radio station in Austin.

Niesel's favorite episode is Invisible Weapons of War and Terror. | Listen here.

Herzog's favorite episode is The French Paradox. | Listen here.

The Journal of Friendswood…

Medical Discovery News wins AAMC award

Medical Discovery News, UTMB’s two-minute weekly radio program that delves into a broad range of biomedical science topics, has received a 2009 Award of Excellence from the Association of American Medical Colleges. AAMC judges commended the work of UTMB Drs. David Niesel and Norbert Herzog with comments such as "Great use of resources" and "Well deserved." To learn more about Medical Discovery News, find a radio station broadcasting it near you, or test your knowledge of current biomedical topics.

For more information…