Did you know that severe zinc deficiency compromises your muscle function? Although needed in small amounts in your body little or no attention is given to the mineral zinc which plays the vital role in maintaining a healthy life.
You lose Zinc through sweat so it is may be necessary to supplement particularly athletes who may not have enough through the normal diet.
Keep on reading and you find some amazing benefits of zinc supplementation.
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An Antioxidant Helping in Fighting Free Radicals
Free radicals lead to the faulty metabolism of proteins in your body. Zinc sweeps in and prevents body tissue damage. Antioxidant protects you from chronic maladies like allergies, cancer, arthritis, and heart disease.
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Slow Aging Process
Zinc may also have some use in slowing the aging process. The mineral is needed for the formation of well-structured proteins. Damaged proteins affect the nerves common phenomena in both Alzheimer and Parkinson disease. Zinc potentially offsets wear and tear trends in your body.
A simple way of predicting your zinc status is observing your nails which are the fastest growing protein structure. Slow growing nails, for example, reflect a reduction in protein synthesis while weak nails reflect poor protein integrity. Also, white spot on your nails reflects a disrupted protein formation. -
Support Liver Health
Liver cirrhosis is highly associated with zinc deficiency. Besides, protecting against acute and chronic liver disease zinc supplementation improves malnutrition related to the liver problem. According to American Journal of pathology published in Nov 2010 issue of their journal, a clinical model in animals demonstrates oxidative activities of zinc in preventing liver damage.
It is believed that alcoholic liver problem occurs due to low levels of zinc in the body. -
Fight Diabetes
And guess what? Zinc is essential in the development of insulin in pancreas beta cells.
– Promotes healthy insulin function
– Provides natural sugar controls
– Might be able to prevent diabetes altogether -
Improves Male Fertility
Increasing the levels of zinc intake in infertile males improves the sperm count, quality, and form. Zinc is vital in producing mature sperms to have the mobility and power to journey from the vagina all the way to the uterus for fertilization.
A sperm may have chromosomal changes a defect associated with a deficiency in zinc. The defective sperm can cause miscarriage even if fertilization and implantation occur. -
Improves Female Fertility
Zinc on its own does not you infertile but enhances your reproductive system to work properly. What is clearer is that Zinc stacks with more 300 enzymes in your body to keep it in shape. Without proper cell division, the progesterone and estrogen may hit abnormal levels, therefore, interfering with your reproductive system. It helps stabilize the hormone levels throughout the menstruation cycle particularly stage 2 & 4 of the cycle.
The body requires a certain amount of zinc to produce mature eggs for ready for fertilization. Low level of zinc is linked to miscarriages in females in early stages of their pregnancy. The fibroid is a major cause of fertility in women. Increasing intake reduces the size of the inflamed fibroid to enable some women to get pregnant. -
Prevents Diarrhea
Zinc supplementation is important in paediatric diarrhoea it can reduce the duration and severity of diarrhoea thus curbing child mortality.
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Stimulates Libido
Zinc mineral enables male bodies to produce testosterone. However, a low level may lead to erectile dysfunction.
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Enhances Mood
According to some clinical trials performed on rats, researchers observed a decline in rat fighting when supplied with brain fertilizer –BDNF in their hippocampus. Depressed people have been found with low zinc levels.
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Anti-Inflammatory
In order to have a better heart health, you need to deal with chronic raging inflammation. When you take zinc it lowers systematic inflammation, therefore, improving your overall health and the ability of the body to fight off infections.
It used for boosting the immune system and preventing lower respiratory infections.
Who is at Risk of Zinc Deficiency?
- Infants
- Children
- Lactating or pregnant women
- Adolescents
Infants, for instance, get enough through the mother’s milk. Teenagers need more zinc for growth and development. The rate of absorption of zinc and iron is low in vegans because they consume more legumes and whole grain which contain phytates that prevent absorption of zinc.
It is important to get the required amount of zinc in the diet to avoid suffering from zinc deficiency.
Top Sources of Zinc Trace Mineral
Incorporate the following dietary foods with zinc trace mineral in your daily diet to avoid the falling below daily recommended threshold. Since the body has no zinc storage capability you need to consume zinc foods on regular basis.
- Spinach
- Mushroom
- Kefir and Yogurt
- Cashews
- Cocoa powder
- Chickpeas
- Kidney beans
- Gras-fed beef
- Pumpkin seed
- Lamb
- Chicken
- Oysters
Finally, overzealous supplementation may result in zinc toxicity. Also, ingesting numerous sources of zinc may cause an overdose. Chronic excess of the vital mineral interrupts absorption of copper disrupting a raft of physiological functions like regulating gene functions and making of red blood cells. Zinc supplements are available at your local drug store without a prescription. However, never buy supplements to treat liver conditions leave that to your doctor to decide what’s right for you.
