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6Zinc ( Zn ) - value for the body and health + 30 best sources
Tkacheva Natalia, phytotherapist, nutritionist
Eliseeva Tatyana, editor-in-chief of the EdaPlus.info project
E-mail: tkacheva.n@edaplus.info, eliseeva.t@edaplus.info
Abstract. The article discusses the main properties of zinc ( Zn ) and its effect on the human body. A systematic review of modern specialized literature and relevant scientific data was carried out. The best natural sources of zinc are indicated . The use of the mineral in various types of medicine and the effectiveness of its use in various diseases are considered. The potentially adverse effects of zinc on the human body under certain medical conditions and diseases are analyzed separately.
Key words: zinc , Zn, zinc, benefit, harm, beneficial properties, contraindications
Zinc is the second most important metal in the body after iron. According to a WHO report, its deficiency affects about a third of the population worldwide and it results in 1.4% of deaths each year. Studies confirm that the mineral speeds up recovery from colds, stabilizes blood sugar levels and helps maintain healthy skin, eyes, and heart. But in overdose, it can rob you of your taste. Let's find out its real benefits and the potential harm of supplements.
The role of zinc in the body of men, women and children
Did you know that getting enough of the mineral Zn in your diet is associated with better immunity and faster wound healing? [1, 2] The benefits of zinc don't stop there — it has many health benefits:
• contributes to the activity of more than 100 enzymes;
• needed for DNA synthesis and reproductive development;
• regulates the production, storage, release of insulin;
• participates in cell division and growth;
• supports the sense of taste and smell;
• helps produce the active form of vitamin A;
• takes part in the functions of the thyroid gland;
• supports the growth and development of the child from the womb. [3, 4 5]
The substance is found in all organs, tissues, body fluids, but 83% is present in skeletal muscles and bones. With insufficient consumption, its levels in skeletal muscles, skin and heart are preserved, and the concentration in the bones, liver, and plasma decreases.
Zinc deficiency: how to determine and what tests to take
Minor micronutrient deficiencies are common. But a serious deficiency is rare and is mainly caused by the hereditary disease acrodermatitis enteropathica. There is also an acquired deficit. It is associated with chronic alcoholism or malabsorption of components in the small intestine.
It is difficult to determine the amount of zinc in the body, this is due to its distribution throughout the body. Doctors can use blood plasma or serum to detect its level, but the analysis does not reflect 100% of its content. If the indicator deviates from the reference values, a special diet is often recommended. Supplements are prescribed in the presence of deficiency symptoms and risk factors such as insufficient calorie intake, alcoholism, diseases of the digestive system. [6]
Mineral in food: where zinc is found and how it is absorbed
The trace element is well absorbed from food of animal origin - with its regular use, the risk of deficiency is unlikely. The substance is much worse absorbed from whole grains and legumes. They contain phytate, which interferes with its absorption. [7, 8]
Trace element ions are absorbed in the small intestine. Of these, 70% is associated with the blood protein albumin. Therefore, any conditions that affect the concentration of albumin have a secondary effect on the level of the mineral in the body.
What Foods Have More Zinc - The Best Natural Sources
Most of the mineral contains red meat, poultry, seafood and whole grains. Champions in this ranking are oysters.
15 Animal Foods Highest in Zinc [9]
No. Product mg per 100 g
1 Oysters baked 61
2 Oysters raw 39.3
3 Egg yolk powder 7.7
4 Crab Kamchatka, boiled 7.6
5 Chicken hearts, cooked 7.3
6 Lean beef, cooked 6.9
7 Pork liver, stewed or fried 6.7
8 Whey protein powder 6.2
9 Beef liver, stewed or fried 5.3
10 Veal ready 5.1
11 Lamb, processed in any way 5
12 Turkey liver, stewed 4.5
13 Pork tongue, boiled 4.5
14 Chicken ventricles, boiled or stewed 4.4
15 Swiss cheese 4.4
You can also get the mineral in sufficient quantities from plant foods, but you need to take into
account that it is absorbed worse from it.
15 plant foods with the highest zinc content [9]
No. Product mg per 100 g
1 Roasted sesame 10.2
2 poppy seeds 7.9
3 pumpkin seeds 7.8
4 Wheat bran without heat treatment 7.3
5 dried basil 7.1
6 cocoa powder 6.8
7 Unroasted sesame 6.7
8 Soy protein powder 6.6
9 Pine nuts 6.5
10 ground mustard seeds 6.1
11 Rice bran without heat treatment 6
12 Peanut flour 6
13 Cashew fried 5.6
fourteen Sunflower seeds, roasted 5.3
fifteen chia seeds 4.6
Top 100 Natural Sources of Zinc
Some foods are naturally high in the mineral, but some ready-to-eat breakfast cereals, snacks, and flours are artificially fortified.
Daily intake of zinc for deficiency prevention
An adult human contains 2-3 g of the micronutrient, about 0.1% of which is replenished daily. If you don't have a medical condition that prevents absorption, you should be able to easily get it from your regular diet.
Norms of zinc intake per day for children, men and women, taking into account age [10]
Life period Age Men (mg) Women (mg)
babies 0-6 months 2 2
babies 7 months to 3 years 3 3
Children 4-8 years 5 5
Children 9-13 years old eight eight
Teenagers Adolescents 14-18 years old eleven 9
adults Adults 19+ years eleven eight
The maximum daily dose for adults is 40 mg, and for infants up to six months - 4 mg.
The daily requirement for zinc increases in some cases:
• Vegetarians sometimes require 50% more than recommended for meat eaters. Despite the fact that vegetarianism is often associated with less absorption of the substance, the body adapts to a plant-based diet over time - it absorbs the mineral better and reduces its loss.
• Approximately 30-50% of alcoholics have low zinc status - ethanol reduces intestinal absorption and increases urinary excretion.
• Pregnant women need 11-12 mg of zinc per day due to the high nutritional requirements of the fetus. [eleven]
• Lactation depletes maternal mineral reserves, so nursing mothers should receive 12-13 mg of food every day. [12]
Reduce the use of trace elements in excess in the body. Analyzes, characteristic symptoms help to
identify the problem.
Top 7 Health Benefits of Zinc
1. Increases immunity. It enhances the immune response and may act as an antioxidant to protect against cancer, diabetes, and chronic heart disease. Just 45 mg of the substance in the form of gluconate reduces markers of inflammation and the incidence of infections in the elderly. [13, 14, 15, 16]
2. Accelerates recovery from colds. Zinc can prevent the reproduction of the rhinovirus -prevent its penetration into the mucous membranes of the throat and nose. In this case, it is more effective in the form of syrup, lozenges. [17, 18]
3. Controls blood sugar levels. Some studies show that the substance maintains stable blood sugar levels and improves the body's ability to use insulin effectively. Supplements bring both short-term and long-term effects in the fight against insulin resistance. [19, 20, 21, 22]
4. Helps fight acne. When taken orally, it reduces the symptoms of acne. It is sometimes chosen because of its lower price and lower risk of side effects. [23]
5. Supports the proper functioning of the heart. The trace element reduces systolic blood pressure, triglycerides, cholesterol and prevents heart disease. [24, 25, 26]
6. Supports eye health. Zinc supplements are often taken to combat age-related macular degeneration and protect against vision loss. [27, 28]
7. Helps in the treatment of diarrhea. Enhancing the intestinal barrier and fighting pathogens makes zinc valuable in the fight against acute diarrhea. This approach is recommended by the WHO for the treatment of children with acute bowel disorder - the mineral reduces the duration of symptoms, the severity and the risk of relapse in the next 2-3 months. [29]
Interactions of zinc with other nutrients
• taking 50 mg/day or more for several weeks reduces the absorption of copper - metals compete for absorption in the small intestine;
• iron also competes with the metal for the absorption pathway—an additional 38-65 mg/day of Fe reduces zinc absorption, so pregnant and lactating women are often told to take both supplements at different times of the day;
• high levels of dietary calcium may reduce micronutrient absorption in postmenopausal women;
• zinc increases the absorption of vitamin B9 and is often given with folic acid;
• the mineral increases plasma levels of vitamin A in middle-aged and elderly people;
• the substance complements the action of vitamins C and D - synergistic components make the body less susceptible to the penetration of pathogens.
How to preserve zinc in foods during cooking?
Phytates in whole grain breads, cereals, legumes, and other foods hinder absorption of the mineral.
To neutralize them, it is enough to soak the cereal in water for several hours before cooking. Before cooking, drain the water and rinse the grains thoroughly.
Phytate is also partially broken down by sourdough - one of the few advantages of yeast baking. [thirty] Zinc in medicine - in what form to take
In acute deficiency, the mineral is prescribed in the form of nutritional supplements, in which it occurs in various forms:
• zinc gluconate is the most common type, also found in cold remedies;
• citrate - absorbed, like gluconate, but less bitter;
• acetate - available without a prescription and often found in cold lozenges;
• sulfate - prevents deficiency and is used in dermatology to treat acne; [31]
• zinc picolinate - a chelate form that is absorbed better than analogues due to the combination of a mineral with an amino acid; [32]
• orotate - associated with orotic acid and is very common in dietary supplements. [33]
The chelated form is better than other types and rarely causes side effects. It is especially effective for diarrhea, acute respiratory diseases.
But keep in mind that any mineral from nutritional supplements is absorbed more easily when you first start taking it.
Absorption decreases as the body gets used to dietary supplements.
Scientific research on zinc
1. A review of seven studies found that 80-92 mg zinc lozenges can reduce the duration of a cold by up to 33%. [34] But a review of 17 studies beyond efficacy confirmed that side effects were common, with 46% of participants suffering from nausea. [35]
2. Although oral zinc can help fight inflammatory skin lesions, it is still not the most effective method. A three-month study involving 332 people showed that taking 30 mg reduced the amount of inflammation, but after a month, the antibiotic minocycline was 9% better than its competitor, and after 3 months - by 17%. Side effects were rare and were the same. [36]
3. Too much of the mineral suppresses rather than enhances the immune response. A study in 11 healthy men showed reduced immunity with 150mg of zinc twice daily for six weeks. [37] However, taking 110 mg three times a day for a month had a mixed effect in older people - the immune response was reduced, but not in all participants. [38]
4. Zinc is essential for the integrity of the intestinal barrier. In an experimental model of colitis in rats, analysis by electron microscopy showed that it reduces intestinal permeability. [39]
Contraindications and possible complications when taking zinc
The range between safe and unsafe consumption of a substance is relatively narrow. And do not forget that consumption in the form of supplements can cause copper deficiency. [40]
Absorption of zinc occurs even through the skin, mucous membranes. Therefore, zinc nasal sprays were once prescribed to treat the common cold. As it turned out later, they cause a temporary or complete loss of smell. Such remedies should be avoided - the component may still be present in homeopathic preparations that are sold without a prescription. [41, 42]
Zinc in denture creams is also potentially dangerous, leading to neurological disease in people who use it in large amounts. Use of these products as directed by a physician (0.5-1.5 g/day) does not cause adverse reactions. [43]
Symptoms of zinc deficiency: how to understand that the body lacks it
Lack of the mineral is characterized by loss of appetite, growth retardation, impaired immune function. In more severe cases, diarrhea, delayed puberty, eye and skin damage, impotence, and a decrease in the production of sex hormones develop. Sometimes there is weight loss, delayed wound healing, taste disturbances, and mental lethargy.
What threatens excess zinc: symptoms and harm
Food supplements can cause an adverse reaction in overdose:
• nausea and vomiting; [44]
• stomach pain, diarrhea, intestinal bleeding when taking 220 mg twice a day; [45]
• flu symptoms - fever, chills, cough, headache, fatigue; [46]
• low "good" cholesterol, essential for heart protection; [47, 48]
• distortion of taste, unpleasant or metallic taste in the mouth; [49]
• copper deficiency and, as a result, anemia, lack of healthy white blood cells (neutropenia); [fifty]
• frequent infections are a side effect of anemia and neutropenia. [51]
Although some foods are high in the micronutrient—more than the allowable 40 mg/day—no cases of food poisoning have been reported. The danger is represented by multivitamins, other dietary supplements and zinc-containing drugs.
Drug Interactions
Scientists and doctors do not advise taking a dietary supplement at the same time as quinolone, tetracycline antibiotics - it affects their fight against bacteria. To minimize the interaction, you need to drink an antibiotic two hours before zinc or 4-6 hours after. The mineral can also reduce the effects of HIV/AIDS medications. Also, do not combine it with diuretics - they increase the loss of the mineral in the urine.
Expert comment
Tatyana Eliseeva, nutritionist, nutritionist
You may have known for a long time about the role of zinc in supporting immunity, and this connection motivated you to decide to buy zinc supplements. Given the health risks, this should not be done without good reason - nutritionists and nutritionists advise getting it from food.
If you have no problem digesting it, you can rely on the 30 products above. They are no worse than dietary supplements, they activate the work of immune cells, take care of the heart and other organs.
By eating healthy and tasty, you don't have to worry about the 40mg upper limit and the side effects.
Literature
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An extended HTML version of this article is available on the edaplus.info website .
Zinc - Body & Health Importance + Top 30 Sources
Tkacheva Natalia, phytotherapist, nutritionist
Eliseeva Tatyana, editor-in-chief of the project EdaPlus.info
E-mail: tkacheva.n@edaplus.info, eliseeva.t@edaplus.info
Received 11.01.2022
Abstract. The article discusses the main properties of zinc ( Zn ) and its effect on the human body. A systematic review of modern specialized literature and relevant scientific data was carried out. The best natural sources of zinc are indicated . The use of the mineral in various types of medicine and the effectiveness of its use in various diseases are considered. The potentially adverse effects of zinc on the human body under certain medical conditions and diseases are analyzed separately.
