Information provided by BioPractica.
Zinc is a fundamental mineral, a cellular building block, and an essential cofactor in over 1000 enzymatic reactions in every cell throughout the body.
Vital for the healthy functioning of the immune and reproductive systems, zinc also supports mental processes and gut function and is needed for skin health. It even regulates genetic expression and protein synthesis, is utilised in many of the body’s detoxification processes and is an important antioxidant.
Zinc deficiency is a common occurrence
Zinc is a vital mineral for our health and wellbeing, yet unfortunately 85% of Australian women and 50% of men are not getting enough zinc in their diet. As there are no specialised storage systems for zinc, it needs to be taken every day; however, our dietary intake is largely dependent on zinc soil levels, which have been found low in Australia, New Zealand and many parts of the world.
Adding to the rising deficiency problem, zinc is easily lost during food processing; therefore, higher amounts of zinc may be required to cope with our modern, stressful and often toxic environment. This is due to many factors, including poor zinc levels in the soil and over processing of food. Sadly, even the healthiest diets may not contain adequate amounts of zinc to meet the physiological needs of many people.
Additionally, zinc absorption and utilisation may be blocked by toxins, heavy metals, excess copper and even phytates in our food. Lifestyle factors, such as increased exercise, alcohol and coffee consumption and vegetarian diets also increase the
need for zinc, while higher levels are needed during pregnancy and breast feeding, in the elderly and those with ongoing health conditions.
For these reasons, supplementing with a bioavailable form of zinc is a ‘must’ for many practitioners; however, the first job is recognising the key clinical clues of zinc deficiency.
7 clinical clues of zinc deficiency:
1. White spots on the fingernails – It’s true that white spots classically occur in
zinc deficient individuals and might be a good clue that your client is low in
zinc. However, white spots can easily occur from a knock or injury to the nail
bed and the absence of white spots does not rule out zinc deficiency.
2. Poor immune function – Zinc is essential for healthy immune cell function and
its deficiency can be an underlying cause of frequent colds and flu and other
immune challenges such as allergies. Zinc may also help inhibit the excessive
release of histamine from mast cells, with a zinc deficiency likely to increase
histamine production.
3. Issues with taste and smell – Researchers have confirmed that people with
zinc deficiency have reduced sensation of taste and smell, and they’ve
found that supplementation improves taste recognition and sensation.
4. Mood and neurological disturbances – Zinc plays an important part in
modulating the brain’s response to stress, in fact, the highest levels of zinc in
the body are found in the hippocampus. Zinc is a cofactor for
neurotransmitter function and helps protect our neurology by improving BDNF
(brain derived neurotropic factor). It is no wonder that zinc deficiency is
associated with mood changes ranging from depression, to rapidly changing
thoughts, nervousness, hyperactivity and even psychosis.
5. Gastrointestinal problems – Supplementation with zinc may help strengthen
the intestinal lining to protect against ‘leaky gut’ and heal intestinal cells. Most
gastro-intestinal conditions benefit from zinc supplementation and often
require higher levels because the intestinal absorption of zinc may be
affected.
6. Skin complaints – It’s common knowledge that zinc is good for the skin and is
important for wound healing. Low zinc levels might present with delayed
wound healing or the appearance of stretch marks. More severe zinc
deficiency may cause atopic dermatitis and a cracked, fissured appearance
of the skin.
7. Thinning and greying hair –Zinc deficiency is associated with de-pigmentation
of the hair. Zinc is also an essential cofactor needed for healthy thyroid
function. Poor zinc status and an underlying thyroid issue may cause hair
thinning and even alopecia.
There are many health conditions where zinc deficiency is also highly likely, such as
hormonal complaints and reproductive issues, obesity and metabolic syndrome, liver
disease, inflammatory bowel diseases, cancer and many more.
Information provided by BioPractica. Contact the office for more information on Zinc or other supplements.
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