Amazing Health Benefits of Zinc
Do you complain about hair loss, low mood, white spots on fingernails, dry skin, changes in appetite, salty or sweet foods cravings, low stamina, fertility & prostate problems, lack of sex drive, recurrent infections, weight gain or loss, tiredness, sleep problems, hormonal imbalance, poor concentration & memory, and allergies?
Well, if you do experience some of these signs maybe it’s time to start being very serious about considering Zinc deficiency. Researchers suggest that due to soil depletion and other factors at least 2 billion people around the world suffer from lack of this trace mineral. Zinc is present everywhere in our body and it is required to maintain normal metabolism (body weight), brain and nervous system function, strong bones & teeth, night vision, acid production in the stomach, healthy liver, and normal blood glucose levels. It is needed to produce tryptophan and then serotonin which makes us happy and regulates our appetite. Zinc also works as an antioxidant slowing down the ageing process and preventing healthy cells from becoming abnormal (cancerous). In addition, it is also used in our body to create superoxide dismutase (SOD), one of the most powerful antioxidants.
Makes immune system strong enough to fend off infections
Zinc strengthens our immune system by stimulating antibody production and it has proven to be even directly toxic to certain types of viruses. It also speeds up recovery & helps minimise unpleasant signs associated with flu or clod such as runny nose or tiredness. A study conducted at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation demonstrated that zinc “significantly reduced the duration of symptoms of the common cold.”
Promotes healthy libido, stamina & healthy hormonal balance
Zinc benefits hormonal health and fertility because it plays an important role in hormone production, including testosterone (male sex hormone), thus promoting normal stamina, prostate health and helps build muscle mass in men. The prostate cannot function properly without zinc as it contains more zinc than any other organ in the body. Zinc is also needed for the production of female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone which support fertility and greatly influence mood and menstruation.
Key beauty nutrient for healthy hair, skin & nails
Zinc deficiency can lead to deterioration of the protein that makes up the hair follicle thus causing hair shedding & loss. Zinc is absolutely essential for beautiful skin as it helps skin maintain supply of collagen which prevents wrinkly sagging skin. Without zinc skin has also hard time to repair itself as it is required for cell division. Zinc deficiency can be a root cause of acne, nail splitting & abnormal discolourations of fingernails
Promotes normal body weight, metabolism and healthy blood glucose levels
Study conducted in obese children, demonstrated that zinc supplementation significantly reduced glucose and insulin levels. Zinc has important effects on metabolism, and on the thermoregulation of obese individuals. Obese individuals have an increased incidence of developing zinc deficiency, have lower dietary zinc intake and therefore exhibit more systemic inflammation.
Written by Slawomir (“Swavak”) Gromadzki, MPH