What is Zinc?
Zinc is an essential dietary mineral, meaning the body cannot produce it and we need to ingest it from food, beverages, and in some instances supplements. It is also found in many cold lozenges and some over-the-counter drugs sold as cold remedies.
Zinc has numerous roles in the body, such as antioxidant defense, immune function, wound healing, protein synthesis, brain function and is required for a proper sense of taste and smell (Source: NCBI). The body has no storage pool for zinc; therefore, a daily steady intake is needed (Source: NCBI).
Popular sources of dietary zinc are meat, egg, fish, and legumes. However, oysters are the most concentrated. Zinc can be lost in the sweat, making it very important for athletes who have low dietary zinc intake, such as vegans. The bioavailability of zinc from grains, legumes, cereals, and other foods is lower than animal foods. Put simply, we do not digest and absorb the zinc as well from plant foods, as a result, there is a lower amount in circulation and available to support normal bodily processes (Source: NCBI).
What is Zinc good for?
Zinc is an essential mineral which has a range of EU-approved contributions
- Synthesis of DNA
- Protein synthesis (building of muscle and tissue)
- Normal immune function
- Cognitive function and vision
- It is also important for cell division, growth and repair (Sources: MedLine & National Institute of Health).
It is one of the minerals that support an optimally-functioning immune system and some studies have shown that by supplementing (with zinc lozenges) it is shown to help reduce the duration of colds (Source: Examine.com).
What Zinc Supplement is best?
This is a great question, and before we get into the sciency stuff, it is important that with any supplement that you are considering, you ensure that the brand is trusted and reputable. They should provide full disclosure about the sourcing of and manufacturing of all ingredients in the supplement. You can trust that any product we have added to our webshop here at PLENT, is worth its salt and will satisfy all of the above criteria!
What happens if I don't get enough Zinc?
Deficiency can manifest in kids as impaired growth and skin conditions. In adults, fatigue, mental lethargy and skin conditions (Source: NCBI). In more severe cases, deficiency may cause diarrhea, hair loss and delayed sexual maturation. Many of these conditions are non-specific, hence the importance of consulting a health care professional prior to supplementation.
In summary, zinc deficiency is mostly associated with deficits in memory and mood as well as growth impairments in youth. In addition, excessive sweating over a prolonged period of time may predispose athletes to zinc deficiencies.
Key health aspects of Zinc
As mentioned, consuming a plant-based diet can make it more difficult to meet zinc requirements, although there are many benefits shown in research to consuming a plant-based diet, consuming and absorbing sufficient zinc is a challenge. This is where low dose supplementation may help, women have recommended intakes of 8-13 mg and 9-16 mg for men. Of note, the Tolerable Upper intake Limit is 25 mg for adults of both genders.
Regulating Blood Pressure
Approximately 40% of people over the age of 25 worldwide deal with hypertension, or high blood pressure. Zinc plays many roles related to proper blood vessel relaxation and constriction and protecting blood vessels from damage (Source: NCBI). Ensuring adequate zinc from the diet and/or supplements is essential for the normal function of the cardiovascular system.
Immune System functioning
Zinc helps maintain skin barriers and mucosal membranes which are protective layers or barriers of our internal organs. Severe zinc deficiency can depress immune system function (Source: NCBI). Basically, the cells of the immune system are impaired and cannot do their role effectively, diminishing the surveillance and activity of killer cells. We need zinc to develop and activate these cells (Source: NCBI).
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