Zinc

Nutrients are essential for the body and one of the important minerals is zinc. Have you ever wondered: “What is zinc?”.

Zinc is a mineral and it is the fourth most common metal used in the industry. Health and zinc go hand in hand: It supports a healthy immune system and is also needed for healing wounds. Other benefits of zinc for the human body are its involvement in enzymatic processes, maintaining the sense of smell and taste and support of normal growths and development humans.

Zinc is found in lots of different foods and the highest zinc containing food is oyster. Other very rich zinc foods are red meats and poultry. If you are a vegan neither one of these foods will work for you. Therefore other good sources for zinc are beans, nuts, whole grains, fortified breakfast cereals and dairy products.

Zinc deficiency is not to common in the United States. There are several symptoms are typical for zinc deficiencies. Symptoms of zinc deficiency include stunted growth, hair loss, diarrhea, impotence, loss of appetite and skin lesions. Other often related symptoms are weight loss, delayed healing of wounds, taste abnormalities and some lethargy. Sometimes psychosis related to zinc deficiency is seen, but usually the psychosis is not only caused by the deficiency of zinc but also by deficiencies of several other vitamins and minerals essential for the body.

Also a problem for the body is zinc overdoses. Zinc toxicity has been recorded in acute and chronic forms. Acute forms of zinc have results such as low copper status, altered iron function, reduced immune function and reduced levels of good cholesterol.

Zinc for acne has been a topic for research in dermatology for years and is still ongoing. Lots of dermatologists use zinc acne creams and ointments to heal zits and other forms of acne. The healing benefits of zinc for the skin a assumed to be the in healing acne.

Zinc citrate is another form of zinc, which plays an essential role in the human health system. It is easier absorbed by the human body than zinc itself and studies suggest that it is more efficient in helping the immune system and might also help in prevention of tooth decay by preventing plaque from hardening on the tooth enamel.

Also still out there is the answer to the zinc and cataracts connection. Several studies done over the years have shown that zinc has the ability to prevent or slow the growth of cataracts in the human eye as well as in studies on rainbow trout.

Zinc facts and information about zinc can be found in publications of the International Mineralogy Association as well as from you healthcare professional and reliable sources on the Internet.