7 reasons why we love Zinc! Are you getting enough?

It helps with everything from your immune system, to cell growth, wound healing, and even your smell and taste. Zinc plays a hugely important role in the human body, but around 1 in 10 people are deficient.

Are your Zinc levels low?

If you experience any of the following symptoms, your zinc levels may be low:

• Recurrent colds, flus and/or infections;

• Poor appetite, reduced sense of taste and/or smell;

• Sluggish digestion;

• Slow growth and development;

• Slow healing, acne and other skin conditions;

• Infertility;

• Sugar cravings; and/or

• Stress, anxiety, and depression

How to tell if you aren’t getting your Zs

Your Practitioner can do a simple taste test to determine if you have a zinc deficiency. The test involves holding a zinc solution in your mouth for 10 seconds and assessing your taste response. The test relies on the presence of gustin, a zinc dependant enzyme. A lack of zinc reduces the activity of gustin, thus altering your taste perception!

7 reasons why we love zinc!

1. Zinc protects your cells from free radical damage, providing antioxidant defence.

2. Zinc’s supports healthy immunity, and improves appetite and digestive function.

3. Its ability to increase the healing rate of acne and wounds makes it indispensable for skin health.

4. Zinc also plays a key role in blood sugar metabolism, for greater blood sugar control.

5. Zinc aids growth and development, and is an important nutrient during pregnancy for both mother and baby.

6. Zinc is important for male health, fertility and sperm production, increasing sperm motility and concentration, production, increasing sperm motility and concentration, therefore enhancing the chances of conception.

7. Zinc is found in high concentrations in the hippocampus area of the brain which controls thought and memory. Recent research has shown zinc to be good for the brain, reducing stress and having a positive impact on mental function and mood.

Get yourself some Zinc

You can top up your zinc levels by increasing the intake of zinc ­rich foods. Oysters are a rich source of zinc, but if you are not a fan; beef, pork, chicken and lamb all contain zinc.

Non-­animal sources include nuts, whole grains, legumes, yeast and ginger.

If you need more zinc, talk to your Practitioner about taking a highly absorbable form of zinc, which can increase the availability of zinc to your body. The more zinc your body can absorb, the greater benefits it will deliver in improving your health!

If you believe you may have a zinc deficiency and would like some advice, book a free 15 minute phone chat with a qualified Naturopath. Click here to book now.

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