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An essential mineral, zinc is found in many foods. It's needed for a host of cell functions, helping to make sure the body is functioning properly. Depending on how restrictive your diet is, or if you're suffering from certain health conditions, your zinc levels could be on the low side. This can lead to a host of undesirable symptoms, many of which can be managed or even reversed through zinc consumption or supplementation.
Curious? Click on to discover the causes and symptoms of zinc deficiency, and what you can do about it.
Zinc is an important mineral for our bodily functions. It helps to fight off infections, produces new cells, and creates DNA.
Zinc is considered an antioxidant, protecting cells from oxidative damage. It's involved in growth and development, as well as playing a role in our immune system to help with wound healing.
You might be getting enough zinc-rich foods, and still be deficient in the mineral, depending on medical conditions that lower zinc absorption. Sickle cell disease, diabetes, cancer, gastrointestinal issues, alcohol abuse disorder, and kidney disease can lead to deficiency, for example.
Certain medications can also affect absorption, including diuretics, antibiotics, and penicillamine. Iron supplements can also interfere with the absorption of zinc.
When pregnant or breastfeeding, a growing baby is using up a lot of nutrients. For this reason, it's more common to be zinc deficient during this time.
Low levels of zinc can cause hair to fall out. Although the connection between zinc deficiency and hair loss isn't fully understood, it's been found that people suffering with alopecia have lower levels of the mineral.
In studies, topical and oral zinc have been used, to positive results, to treat hair loss. However, thinning hair can be linked to other factors too. Check you have more symptoms of zinc deficiency before assuming it's the cause of your hair loss.
Acne has many potential causes. Makeup, skincare, certain foods, hormones, or even dirty pillowcases can be culprits. However, if you've addressed these concerns and your skin is still suffering, you might want to check if you're deficient in zinc.
Zinc may have anti-inflammatory properties, reducing the amount of acne-triggering oil and bacteria on the skin. Topical and oral zinc has been shown to help clear breakouts in some cases.
A number of chronic health conditions have been linked to zinc deficiency. They include diabetes, atherosclerosis, Alzheimer’s, neurological disorders, and autoimmune diseases.
This is probably because zinc keeps your immune system ticking over, promoting the healthy growth of cells. If there isn't enough zinc, your body can't fight free radicals and inflammation spikes. These factors have been tied to chronic health conditions.
Zinc is an essential mineral for proper immune function. Without it, cuts and scrapes might take a lot longer to heal because of its role in cell growth and repair. You might also become more susceptible to bacterial or viral infections.
The eyes contain a high amount of zinc. The retina, in particular, contains the zinc that's used to help transport vitamin A from the liver to the retina.
On reaching your retina, this vitamin A produces protective pigments in the eye, that play a key role in maintaining sharp vision. A lack of zinc can cause poor vision.
Zinc plays a role in how we experience several senses, notably, taste and smell. If someone is deficient in zinc, they will find it difficult to taste food.
According to existing research, people who were given oral zinc to treat their taste disorders experienced an improvement in their symptoms.
A lack of zinc can mess with your hearing, too. In one study of people with tinnitus (a kind of ringing in the ears), 12% were shown to have zinc deficiency.
Not only that, their symptoms—hearing loss and ear-ringing—were much more severe than the other participants. It's believed zinc could act as an antioxidant, reducing inflammation in the inner ear (cochlea).
Children can also show signs of zinc deficiency. Due to the mineral's influence on cell growth and development, a lack of it can mean stunted growth.
Zinc deficiency is more common in kids who don't eat or have access to animal protein (one of the best dietary sources of zinc).
In studies, zinc deprivation has been shown to induce depressive-like behavior. When zinc was supplemented, this effect was reversed.
Zinc is believed to affect the levels of hormones that tell you when your body is hungry/full. These satiety hormones, ghrelin and leptin, are affected by zinc deficiency to cause reduced appetite, which can lead to unexplained weight loss.
Zinc is essential for the immune response to gut issues. If you don't have enough, you might experience loose stools. This in turn can make your deficiency even worse, as it prevents proper absorption.
Oysters contain the most zinc per serving. Other foods high in zinc include red meat, chicken, pork, seafood, fish, nuts, and dairy products (yogurt and cheese).
If you're on a restrictive vegan diet, choose foods including beans, lentils, and wholemeal bread, to meet your required zinc consumption.
If you have trouble absorbing zinc from food due to a health condition, supplementation might be best for you. Choose a supplement that includes copper if possible (and you don't have any interactions), as zinc supplementation can deplete copper in the body.
Slowed growth and trouble gaining weight are typical in babies who develop with a zinc deficiency. If you're pregnant or breastfeeding, you should talk to your healthcare provider about zinc supplementation.
Your healthcare provider will probably want to do a complete blood count (CBC) test, test your electrolytes, or check your thyroid function, to rule out other potential causes of your symptoms, before doing a specific test for zinc deficiency.
There is a lot of overlap between the symptoms of zinc deficiency and other health conditions, so it's important to rule them out at first. However, mild zinc deficiency might not show up on tests, or the level can seem normal even if you're slightly deficient. If you're worried, speak to your healthcare provider who can address your unique concerns.
Sources: (Prevention) (Verywell Mind) (Healthline)
See also: Why you need magnesium now
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HEALTH Deficiency
An essential mineral, zinc is found in many foods. It's needed for a host of cell functions, helping to make sure the body is functioning properly. Depending on how restrictive your diet is, or if you're suffering from certain health conditions, your zinc levels could be on the low side. This can lead to a host of undesirable symptoms, many of which can be managed or even reversed through zinc consumption or supplementation.
Curious? Click on to discover the causes and symptoms of zinc deficiency, and what you can do about it.