Better Nutrition February 2019

checkOUT/GUIDE TO CUTTING-EDGE SUPPLEMENTS
Are You Low in Zinc?
You might not think about zinc, but this mineral is vital to your health—and
the symptoms of depletion are easy to overlook /// BY VERA TWEED
Zinc lozenges are a popular cold remedy,
but this unheralded mineral can do so
much more. Zinc is required for more than
a thousand different chemical reactions
in the human body, which gives it a wide
range of health benefits:
*
*
*
Zinc is essential for a healthy immune
system, which helps ward off colds and
other illnesses. Zinc plays a key role
in healthy cell division, which helps
protect against cancer.
In combination with other antioxidants,
zinc protects the eyes against
blindness from age-related macular
degeneration.
Zinc is used to treat diarrhea in
children and to treat Wilson’s disease,
a genetic disorder that leads to very
high, life-threatening levels of copper.
* Zinc is an antioxidant that reduces *
chronic inflammation and may *
protect against atherosclerosis. *
*
Signs You Need More Zinc *
Older people and anyone whose digestion *
is sub-optimal may not absorb adequate *
zinc. In addition, a shortfall is more likely *
among people who don’t eat animal foods.
Signs of zinc deficiency (and/or conditions
related to low zinc) include:
* Frequent colds or other infections
* Allergies
* Hair loss
* Loss of taste and smell
* Stunted growth in children
* Attention disorders in kids
* Infertility
* Poor mental function
Diarrhea and IBS
Adrenal issues
Skin lesions (e.g., acne, eczema)
Loss of appetite
Hair loss
Slow healing of wounds
Pica (eating dirt)
Eating disorders (e.g., bulimia, anorexia)
Zinc-Depleting Drugs
Studies have found that conventional
medications for heartburn and high
blood pressure deplete zinc. High
doses of the mineral may be necessary
to restore healthy levels and should
be taken under the supervision of a
health professional.
Heartburn drugs reduce levels of
stomach acid and this, in turn, impairs the
absorption of zinc and other nutrients.
One study compared effects of 26.2 mg
of zinc in supplements, twice daily, in
healthy people and those taking proton
pump inhibitors such as Prilosec and
Prevacid. Compared to the drug-free,
healthy group, those taking heartburn
drugs absorbed less than one-third of
the mineral.
Two types of blood pressure
drugs—thiazide diuretics and ACE
inhibitors—increase excretion of
zinc. Loss of taste can be a side effect
of ACE inhibitors, and a study found
HOW TO TREAT A COLD
Zinc lozenges fight cold viruses by coating the inside surface
of your mouth and throat. Let lozenges dissolve instead
of chewing and swallowing them. Studies show that zinc
acetate or zinc gluconate lozenges can shorten a cold by
2–3 days when taken every couple of hours, starting within
24 hours of the first symptoms. Aim for a daily total of
80–100 mg of zinc, which is a safe dose for treating a cold.
16 • FEBRUARY 2019