While we only need a small amount of zinc, it's incredibly important!
It's not only vital for your immune system, DNA repair, vision, taste, smell, growth and healing, it's also REALLY important for your hormones.
And it's something that your body can't store so you need to be getting it every day, either through your diet or supplements.
You can watch the video below or listen to the podcast (episode 95).
Health benefits of zinc
- Immune system; vital for your innate immune system, including fighting infection, healing wounds, repairing any damaged cells. Deficiency can make you vulnerable to infection and disease.
- Anti inflammatory; zinc can reduce the amount of inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress – and that's what can also cause period pain so it's helpful for that and endometriosis.
- Vision; zinc may protect against age related macular degeneration.
- Skin and hair; zinc is a natural acne treatment – it can block excess androgens, and is anti-bacterial. It also promotes collagen for hair and connective tissue.
- Promotes ovulation; great for fertility as it nourishes egg follicles ready for a healthy ovulation.
- Thyroid health; zinc is vital for thyroid hormones.
- Stress and mood; zinc can regulate cortisol levels, improving stress resilience and mood
Food sources of zinc
- Seafood; Oysters, Crab, Lobster
- Red meat, pork & poultry
- Whole grains (especially oats)
- Pumpkin seeds
- Beans, chickpeas, peas
- Nuts (esp cashews, almonds)
- Dairy; Milk, Cheese
Deficiency
Data shows that zinc deficiency is one of the most common nutrient deficiencies in the world! While it is particularly common in the developing world, you also need to be careful if;
- If you're a vegetarian or vegan it's harder to get enough (it's less easily absorbed from plant foods), so well worth supplementing
- you're over 60
- you have digestive issues which could cause malabsorption
- you drink a lot of alcohol
- you're pregnant
- you have an eating disorder or are malnourished
Symptoms can include frequent infections or illness, diarrhoea and other digestive issues, allergies or food sensitivities (increases histamine), hair loss, poor skin or acne.
A good amount of zinc is around 8-15 mg per day. I take it as part of my multivitamin & mineral, you don't need extra if you're getting enough from that.
Do contact us if you need any help with your hormones or health, and we can send you further information on our testing and 1-1 support.