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Zinc, which is actually a type of metal, is an essential trace element.
When you hear zinc in regards to your health, you probably think of it
as one of the many effective natural cold remedies. In other words, only
really necessary once in a great while.
However, zinc is needed in small amounts every day in order to maintain
health and perform important functions each day. Zinc benefits the body
in many ways: helps with hormone production, growth and repairment;
improves immunity and facilitates digestion. Zinc benefits also include
its ability to act as an anti-inflammatory agent, therefore zinc may
have significant therapeutic benefits for several common, chronic
diseases like fighting cancer or reversing heart disease.
Zinc is actually present within all bodily tissue and needed for healthy
cell division. It acts like an antioxidant within the body, fighting
free-radical damage and slow the aging process. Zinc also has a big
impact on hormonal balance, so for this reason, even a small zinc
deficiency can result in an increased risk for infertility or diabetes.
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According to researchers at the Department of Dermatology at the
University of California,
zinc plays an essential role in numerous biochemical pathways: organ
systems, including the integumentary, gastrointestinal, central nervous
system, immune, skeletal, and reproductive systems… Zinc deficiency
results in dysfunction of both humoral and cell-mediated immunity and
increases the susceptibility to infection.
Without enough zinc present in your diet, it’s possible to experience
negative reactions like frequently getting sick, feeling like you’re
always tired and run down, poor concentration, stunted growth, and the
inability to heal wounds.
How Much Do We Need to Experience These Zinc Benefits?
According to the USDA, the dietary reference intakes for zinc below are
based on age and gender:
Infants:
0–6 months: 2 milligrams/day
7–12 months: 3 milligrams/day
Children:
1–3 years: 3 milligrams/day
4–8 years: 5 milligrams/day
9 –13 years: 8 milligrams/day
Adolescents and adults:
Males age 14 and over: 11 milligrams/day
Females age 14 to 18 years: 9 milligrams/day
Females age 19 and over: 8 milligrams/day
Zinc is usually available in various forms, including lozenges, syrups,
gels and capsules. Zinc is also found in most multivitamin and mineral
supplements. These supplements can contain zinc in the form of zinc
gluconate, zinc sulfate or zinc acetate. As of now, all are believed to
work in very similar ways so one type is not thought to be superior over
the others.
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Symptoms of Zinc Deficiency
Zinc deficiency is common around the world, including in the U.S. (3)
Zinc deficiency occurs when someone doesn’t eat enough foods that
contain zinc or has trouble absorbing and using zinc from foods due to
digestive disorders or very poor gut health, such as having leaky gut
syndrome. The highest levels of zinc are found in foods foods high in
protein — especially animal proteins, including high-quality meats,
certain kinds of seafood and dairy (ideally raw milk and dairy products
that are unpasteurized and organic).
Zinc is found in grains and legumes, plus it’s usually added to
processed, packaged grain products like cereals. However, this type of
zinc isn’t as absorbable or useful by the body since it’s bound to
“antinutrients” like phytates that actually prevent zinc absorption.
For this reason, even zinc found in whole foods like legumes and whole
grains aren’t as good of a source as animal foods due to naturally
occurring antinutrients that block zinc absorption. Research even points
to the fact that high intake of carbohydrate foods (especially
processed, packaged kinds) in the U.S and other western nations may be
one reason why zinc deficiency is on the rise. In part, zinc deficiency
is caused because carbohydrates are replacing high-quality protein
sources, but also because people’s impaired digestive systems make it
difficult to absorb enough zinc.
Who is most at risk for zinc deficiency? Anyone following a plant-based
diet that doesn’t include meat or dairy products (vegan or vegetarian)
are usually at the greatest risk since their diets eliminate the highest
food sources. People who suffer from severe stomach-acid issues, chronic
digestive problems like leaky gut syndrome or alcoholism are also more
likely to have a zinc deficiency.
Finally, it’s believed that women taking the birth control pill or who
are on hormone replacement therapies drugs may also be at a higher risk,
since this can interfere with zinc’s roles in the body related to
hormones.
The most common signs and symptoms associated with
zinc deficiency include:
Changes in appetite, including food cravings for salty or sweet foods
Changes in ability to taste and smell
Weight gain or loss
Hair loss
Digestive problems, including diarrhea
Chronic fatigue syndrome
Infertility
Hormonal problems, including worsened PMS or menopause symptoms
Low immunity
Poor concentration and memory
Slowed ability to heal wounds, skin infections or irritation
Nerve dysfunction
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Top Health Benefits of Zinc
1. Increases Immunity and Fights Colds
Zinc is often taken as a natural over-the-counter remedy for fighting
colds and symptoms of illnesses. When taken for at least five months,
zinc may reduce your risk of becoming sick with the common cold, plus
supplementing once you already feel sick can speed up the healing
process.
Research shows that zinc can interfere with the molecular process that
causes mucus and bacteria to build within the nasal passages. Ionic
zinc, based on its electrical charge, has the ability to exert an
antiviral effect by attaching to receptors in nasal epithelial cells and
blocking their effects.
Research conducted by the Medical Education Center of Chandigarh India
found that when zinc was administered within 24 hours of onset of
cold-related symptoms, the duration of symptoms was significantly
reduced compared to the control group that didn’t supplement with zinc.
Fewer patients in the zinc group had cold-related symptoms five and
seven days after experiencing the first symptoms compared to those who
did not take zinc.
2. Acts as a Powerful Antioxidant that May Help
Fight Cancer
Zinc is an effective anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agent, helping
fight oxidative stress and decrease the chance for disease development,
including as a natural cancer treatment. Especially in elderly patients,
zinc benefits include its ability to support support healthy cell
division, preventing cancerous cell mutation and stunting tumor growth.
When researchers from the School of Medicine at the University of
Michigan studied potential zinc benefits from zinc supplementation on 50
adults, they found that levels of oxidative stress markers were
significantly lower in the zinc-supplemented group than in the placebo
group. Those with lower zinc levels who didn’t take supplements had
higher levels of inflammatory cytokines, higher plasma oxidative stress
markers and endothelial cell adhesion molecules. After zinc
supplementation, the incidence of illness-related side effects and
infections was also significantly lower in the zinc-supplemented group,
another example of zinc’s immune-boosting abilities.
3. Balances Hormones
Zinc benefits hormonal health and fertility because it plays an
important role in hormone production, including increasing testosterone
naturally, which has very widespread roles in both men and women. Zinc
also impacts female sex hormones and is even involved in the creation
and release of eggs within and from the ovaries.
Zinc is needed for the production of estrogen and progesterone in women,
which both support reproductive health. Either too high or too low
levels of estrogens can cause problems with menstruation, mood swings,
early menopause, infertility and possibly even increase the risk for
certain cancers.
4. Fights Diabetes
Zinc is needed to balance most hormones, including insulin, the main
hormone involved in the regulation of blood sugar and as a diabetes
natural cure. Zinc benefits blood sugar levels because it binds to
insulin so insulin is adequately stored in the pancreas and released
when glucose enters the bloodstream. It also allows for proper
utilization of digestive enzymes that are necessary for insulin to bind
to cells so glucose is used as fuel for the body, instead of stored as
fat.
5. Maintains Heart Health by Supporting Blood
Vessels
Zinc is needed to maintain the health of cells within the cardiovascular
system, while also lowering inflammation and oxidative stress. The
endothelium, the thin layer of cells that lines the blood vessels,
partially relies on adequate levels of zinc. Zinc benefits heart health
by supporting healthy circulation, since it helps as a natural remedy
for high blood pressure and cholesterol levels from clogged or damaged
arteries.
6. Prevents Diarrhea
Zinc deficiency is related to chronic digestive problems and diarrheal
diseases, so zinc supplementation has been shown to be effective in both
prophylaxis and as an acute diarrhea cure. |