All You Need To Know About Zinc
Zinc is a known mineral supplement, It is used mainly in the management and treatment of diarrhea, zinc is second to iron in its concentration in the body (2-3 grams)
What Are The Best Benefits Of Zinc Supplement?
- Manage and Treat diarrhea (Recommended by the World Health Organization WHO)
- Boost the immune system.
- Have a role in cell division and cell growth.
- Help in wound healing.
- Involved in the breakdown of carbohydrates
- Enhance insulin action.
- Important for the sense of smell and taste.
- Support the growth and development of infants and children during the early years of life.
Zinc Deficiency
Mild to moderate zinc deficiency is common in developed nations, while Severe zinc deficiency is most common in the developing world. Zinc deficiency is reported to be the fifth leading cause of loss of healthy life.
Symptoms of zinc deficiency:
- Recurrent infections
- Hypogonadism in males
- Hair loss
- Poor appetite
- Issues with the sense of
- taste and smell
- Skin sores
- Growth Retardation
- Trouble seeing in the dark
- Slow wound healing
How Can You Raise Your Zinc Levels?
You can raise your zinc levels by maintaining a healthy diet or you could use zinc supplements for faster and more effective results.
Dietary Sources Of Zinc And Factors Affecting Its Bioavailability
Dietary sources of zinc include beef, lamb, nuts, whole grains, legumes, and yeast. The most effective way to get your daily requirements is to eat a balanced diet that contains a variety of foods.
Zinc bioavailability (the amount of zinc that reaches the blood) can be affected by some agents such as:
- Phytate: They are present in cereals, corn, and rice. They have a strong negative effect on zinc absorbed from meals.
- Iron: has a negative effect on zinc absorption when they are given together in a supplement, however, no difference is seen when the same amounts are present in a meal.
- Cadmium: inhibits zinc absorption.
- Protein: The amount of protein in a meal has a positive effect on zinc absorption, but some types of protein may act differently; e.g., casein has a minor inhibitory effect on zinc absorption compared with other protein sources.
- Amino acids( e.g., histidine and methionine) – low-molecular-weight ions (e.g., EDTA) –organic acids (e.g., citrate): They have a positive effect on zinc absorption and have been used in zinc supplements.
How Much Zinc Should You Take Per Day?
Levels of zinc intake depend on age;
-
Infants
0 to 6 months: 2 mg/day
7 to 12 months: 3 mg/day -
Children
7 to 12 months: 3 mg/day
1 to 3 years: 3 mg/day
4 to 8 years: 5 mg/day
9 to 13 years: 8 mg/day -
Adolescents and Adults
Males, ages 14 and over 11 mg/day
Females, ages 14 to 18: 9 mg/day
Females, ages 19 and over 8 mg/day
Pregnant females, 19 years of age and over 11 mg/day
Lactating females, 19 years of age and over 12 mg/day
Zinc Supplements Adverse Effects
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal cramps
- Vomiting
- Anemia
- Iron deficiency
- Copper deficiency
- loss of sense of smell (when Nasal sprays or gel forms are used)
What Happens When Taking Too Much Zinc Supplement?
Zinc when taken in large amounts may cause abdominal cramps, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, epigastric pain, lethargy, and fatigue. Some of the symptoms appear within 3 to 10 hours of using the supplement.
Who Should Not Take Zinc Supplement?
Pregnant or lactating women mustn’t use Zinc supplements above the tolerable upper intake level (40 mg elemental zinc per day in adults)
Zinc Supplement And COVID-19
Results have shown that using zinc supplements is a simple and cost-effective way to lower the mortality rate caused by COVID-19.
The Best Zinc Supplement To Boost Your Immune System (Welltopia)
Zinc Select supplement plays a crucial role in boosting immune function, maintaining healthy tissue growth, and increasing the antioxidant reserves that protect the body from free radical damage. It is critical to a diverse group of physiological processes, such as insulin signaling, tissue repair, vision, and neuro-transmission.
Zinc select Provides zinc during pregnancy, infancy, and childhood which is needed for proper growth and development. Zinc is important for the adequate functioning of the senses of taste and smell. Daily intake of zinc is necessary to maintain adequate levels within the body because the body has no specialized zinc storage system.
Zinc select is formulated with the superior amino acid chelate form, zinc glycinate, which does not ionize in the gut and therefore is not impacted by dietary factors and is absorbed at a higher rate than those formulated with zinc salt forms.
Zinc Select Ingredient: Zinc (as TRAACS™ Zinc Bisglycinate Chelate)
