Zinc Supplementation Prior to Botox Injections for Spasmodic Dysphonia

June 29, 2026 updated by: University of Florida

The Effect of Zinc Supplementation Prior to Botulinum Neurotoxin Type A Injection in the Treatment of Spasmodic Dysphonia

One initial study has shown that Botulinum Toxin (BT) in combination with zinc supplementation may increase the duration of effects BT treatment. This initial study was in the context of facial aesthetics. The purpose of the present study is to determine the effect, if any, of oral zinc supplementation prior to BT in the treatment of spasmodic dysphonia. If positive effects will be observed, this would help reduce the burden of disease for these patients.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Botulinum toxin (BT) injections are commonly used to treat various cosmetic, muscular, anesthetic, and neurologic pathologies. In 2012, one study suggested that a combination of zinc and phytase supplementation could increase the duration and degree of effects of botulinum neurotoxin type A (BoNTA). However, this study was met with scientific skepticism due to concerns of financial conflicts of interest, unmasking the study too early, and ambiguity of the dosage of zinc used. In 2021, a new study with 25 patients receiving BoNTA injections for the treatment of excessive gingival display (EGD), showed that zinc supplementation prolonged the effect of BoNTA with statistical significance. There has been no further studies or commentary since these latest results were published. The purpose of this study is to test if the effect of zinc supplementation on BoNTA can be replicated and also translated to a different disease process that is also treated with BT-spasmodic dysphonia (SD). If positive effects are discovered, this would strengthen the preliminary results of the 2021 study, encourage future larger studies on the same hypothesis, and, ultimately, could lead to reducing the burden of disease for patients with SD and any other condition that is treated with BT injections.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
32

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Phase 2
  • Phase 1

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Florida
      • Gainesville, Florida, United States, 32610
        • University of Florida- Shands Hospital

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Adults patients
  • 18 years old and above
  • Current diagnosis of ADductor spasmodic dysphonia
  • Has had Botox injection treatments for SD > 6 months

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Pregnant
  • Diagnosis of ABductor spasmodic dysphonia
  • Patients taking > 30 mg zinc supplementation daily prior to study beginning

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Non-Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Active Comparator: Botulinum toxin A injection
Botulinum toxin A injection into vocal cords for treatment of spasmodic dysphonia. This is the current standard of care for treatment of this disease process. This will be the control of the study.
Drug: Botulinum toxin type A
This is the current standard of care for treatment of spasmodic dysphonia. Botox injection goes into the vocal cord muscle, and will be occur in both the control and experimental arms of the study.
Other Names:
  • Botox Type A
Experimental: Botulinum toxin A injection +zinc supplementation"
Botulinum toxin A injection into vocal cords for treatment of spasmodic dysphonia, with subject taking zinc supplementation daily for the 5 days preceding the botox injection. This will be the experimental arm of the study.
Drug: Botulinum toxin type A
This is the current standard of care for treatment of spasmodic dysphonia. Botox injection goes into the vocal cord muscle, and will be occur in both the control and experimental arms of the study.
Other Names:
  • Botox Type A
Drug: Zinc gluconate supplement
Subjects will take a 50 mg zinc gluconate supplement at breakfast for the five days leading up to their next injection appointment. They will also answer questionnaires and provide audio recordings at various time points of the two injection cycles, which is roughly six months.
Other Names:
  • 50 mg zinc gluconate (Puritan's Pride brand)

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change of Voice-Related Quality of Life (V-RQOL) Survey Scores During a Laryngeal Botox Injection Cycle.
Time Frame: The patient will submit survey on post-injection day 2, 7, 14, 42, 70 and 98 (if next injection has not been performed).
10 question, validated survey to assess quality of voice of patients with spasmodic dysphonia. The overall V-RQOL score ranges from 10 to 15 (excellent), 16 to 20 (very good), 21 to 25 (good), 26-30 (fair) and scores more than 30 and up to 50 is poor.
The patient will submit survey on post-injection day 2, 7, 14, 42, 70 and 98 (if next injection has not been performed).
Change in Audiometric Recording Data of Subject's Speech During a Laryngeal Botox Injection Cycle.
Time Frame: The patient record their voice on post-injection day 2, 7, 14, 42, 70, and 98. At their next botox injection, a second cycle will immediately begin for an additional 3 months with audio data obtained on post injection day 2, 7, 14, 42, 70, and 98
At various points in the study, each subject will be recorded saying the same scripted passage. After all subjects have completed both cycles, all of the accrued audio recordings will be analyzed using a computer algorithm developed by one of our authors that assesses the quality of speech, with the data time points being averaged. The proposed algorithm was not successfully developed. One of the major concerns during the development process was which Natural Language Processing metrics should be utilized to best measure Spasmodic Dysphonia speech changes. No analysis conducted.
The patient record their voice on post-injection day 2, 7, 14, 42, 70, and 98. At their next botox injection, a second cycle will immediately begin for an additional 3 months with audio data obtained on post injection day 2, 7, 14, 42, 70, and 98

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University of Florida

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Neil Chheda, University of Florida

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
August 1, 2023

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
August 1, 2024

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
March 1, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
April 26, 2023

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 6, 2023

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
June 7, 2023

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
July 27, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 29, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
November 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • IRB202202375
  • OCR43808 (Other Identifier: OnCore-UF)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

Yes

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

Yes

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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