| Zinc | |||||
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Zinc is a very important mineral that exists in every cell in the body, as it is necessary for sustaining life.
Zinc has many functions in the body:
- assists with the proper functioning of the immune system
- helps to create DNA
- required for would healing
- is an important antioxidant which prevents cell damage from oxidisation
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- Zinc is contained in many foods, particularly oysters, but also red meat and chicken meat, as well as beans and nuts
- Zinc is required to activate certain enzymes
- The most easily absorbed form of zinc is zinc gluconate
- Zinc deficiency can cause a decrease in appetite
- White blood cells contain a lot of zinc inside them
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Zinc deficiency can cause a whole range of problems, such as:
- Anorexia nervosa - the decrease in appetite in those with zinc deficiency could degenerate into this life wasting illness through malnutrition
- Colds and influenza - as zinc is necessary to enable the immune system to work well, it is important to have enough zinc to be able to fight off disease-causing viruses and bacteria
- Male fertility - zinc is required for synthesising testosterone, as well as healthy sperm and semen, which may be the reason behind some men's infertility problems
- Prostate problems - men with prostrate problems often have low zinc levels, which supplementation (in consultation with a medical doctor) seems to help
- Unhealthy skin, hair and nails - shortage of zinc is often the cause of minor skin rashes and irritations, bad hair and nails that do not seem to have any real (medical) cause
- Wounds not healing - zinc is vital to help wounds heal faster and properly, even studies show that patients recover from surgery faster if they have zinc
Last reviewed: 30 September 2007 || Last updated: 14 March 2010
Related Articles
references
- Dimitropoulou P, Nayee S, Liu JF, Demetriou L, van Tongeren M, Hepworth SJ, Muir KR. Dietary zinc intake and brain cancer in adults: a case-control study. Br J Nutr. 2007 Oct 2;:1-7 [Epub ahead of print]
- Mocchegiani E. Zinc and ageing: third ZincAge conference. Immun Ageing. 2007 Sep 20;4(1):5
- Osiecki, H. The Nutrient Bible. Bio-Concepts Publishing QLD, 2002
- Shen JK, Dong A, Hackett SF, Bell WR, Green WR, Campochiaro PA. Oxidative damage in age-related macular degeneration. Histol Histopathol. 2007 Dec;22(12):1301-8
- Tompkins TA, Renard NE, Kiuchi A. Clinical Evaluation of the Bioavailability of Zinc-enriched Yeast and Zinc Gluconate in Healthy Volunteers. Biol Trace Elem Res. 2007 Dec;120(1-3):28-35
- Tubek S. Zinc supplementation or regulation of its homeostasis: advantages and threats. Biol Trace Elem Res. 2007 Oct;119(1):1-9
- Whitney EN, Cataldo DB, Rolfes SR. Understanding Normal and Clinical Nutrition, 6th Edition. Wadsworth/Thomson Learning, 2002
To learn more, go to the following web sites:
- Food Standards Australia and New Zealand
- Dieticians Association of Australia
- Nutrient Reference Values (Australia)
NOTE: Mega doses of any type of vitamin, mineral, amino acid or herbal supplement cannot cure illnesses and in fact can be very dangerous and produce toxic side effects and interfere with medicine you are taking. Always ensure you consult your doctor before taking any type of complementary supplements.
Disclaimer: This guide is not intended to be used for diagnostic or prescriptive purposes. For any treatment or diagnosis of illness, please see your doctor.
