The Importance Of Zinc

The Importance Of Zinc And Our Lack Of It

by alexcarson on October 9, 2012

Zinc is an essential mineral involved in more than 300 enzyme processes and plays an important role in our bodies’ immune system. It is also needed for the production of testosterone. For those who are looking to increase muscle mass, this will be much harder with low Zinc levels in the body. Like Magnesium, this is another essential mineral where its deficiency is quite widespread.
Low Zinc levels can be correlated with low testosterone and particularly present in men aged 40 and above who may have begun going through a hormonal change called Andropause, also known as the male menopause where testosterone decreases due to an increased production by the body of the enzyme aromatase which converts testosterone to estrogen. Due to low testosterone levels in males this can lead to low sperm output and testicular shrinkage.
Low Zinc levels can impact negatively on the skin and slow muscle growth. Vitamin C has long been taken to improve the immune system particularly in the winter to avoid the common cold, but Zinc has been very much so neglected but of critical importance to our health.
Even if you have a high intake of Zinc in your diet, its role can be inhibited by the consumption of other foods in your diet, such as soy proteins and milk feeds, coffee, cows milk, cheese, hamburgers, celery, brown bread, high fiber diets, phytates and bran. Some citrus fruits and Vitamin D promote Zinc absorption. The issue of correct dose of Zinc per day is further complicated not only by the ratio of Zinc inhibitors to Zinc promoters but by the fact that some people are better absorbers than others, so therefore some people will require more of the mineral than others.
Zinc Mimickers
There are some toxic metals which when exposed to in high amounts mimic the role of Zinc. These include Cadmium, Lead and Mercury known as the top Zinc antagonists. A higher intake of Zinc may be needed if you are regularly exposed to these metals. Smokers are at a high risk of Cadmium exposure, if you smoke more than twenty unfiltered cigarettes per day, you will be exposed to more of the metal from the cigarettes than what one typically would from their diet put together.  These toxic metals will be accepted by Zinc dependent enzymes in the body, but they are unable to fulfil Zinc’s functions, therefore blocking the absorption of Zinc, they are considered to be anti-nutrients preventing the enzymes from breaking down food, repairing tissues, utilizing energy and their other roles throughout the body.
Our exposure to these toxins today through pollution, or even our use of lead piping has serious implications on our health and the need for a higher amount of Zinc than we would need if we lived in an unpolluted environment, this should not be too high an intake as when Zinc levels are too high they can interfere with the metabolism of Iron and Copper.
Zinc sources
Lean meats are the richest sources of Zinc, Oysters being the highest source, and so deficiency is likely to occur amongst vegetarians and those with inadequate meat intake. But as mentioned earlier there are other factors that can lead to Zinc deficiency.
Testing for Zinc deficiency
The most effective method for measuring Zinc is a taste test, using Zinc Sulphate and distilled water. The tests can be purchased from a few Pharmaceutical grade supplement companies such as Poliquin which can be purchased from the website.
The Zinc deficiency test:

• Dissolve one gram of Zinc sulphate into one litre of distilled water.
• Taste one-two teaspoons of the solution, swish it around your mouth and then spit it out.

Responses normally fall into one of the four following categories:

1. No specific taste or other sensation is noticed, even after the solution has been kept in the mouth for about ten seconds. (Some people even find a solution of twice the above strength to be tasteless.)
2. No immediate taste is noted, but after a few seconds a slight taste variously described as ‘dry’, ‘mineral’, ‘flurry’ or (more rarely) ‘sweet’ develops.
3. A definite though not unpleasant taste is noted almost immediately, and tends to intensify with time.
4. A strong and unpleasant taste is noted immediately. The subject normally grimaces.

If your response to the test is either 1 or 2 then you are deficient in Zinc, if 3-4 then your Zinc levels are normal. You would therefore benefit from Zinc supplementation. After supplementing for a period of time the test should be repeated to see if there is an improvement in your response and if so a reduction in your dose.
Zinc has been shown to improve diseases such as Anorexia Nervosa, post natal depression and mental disorders such as Schizophrenia as well as critical for reproduction.
Zinc due to its role in supporting the immune system has been shown to be as important and arguably more so than the use of Vitamin C in fighting the common cold.
For those who are interested in building muscle or toning up, this can be difficult if Zinc levels are low, as Zinc is essential for the production of testosterone, if testosterone levels are low then developing muscle mass will be a challenge. It is for this reason that women generally cannot develop large muscles, as they do not produce high enough levels of testosterone. If women are in need of Zinc however supplementation to the adequate levels using the Zinc Sulphate test will not be high enough to develop the dreaded large manly muscles. There are men in the gym with high enough zinc and testosterone levels working extremely hard trying to bulk up and many struggle. So do not fear Zinc supplementation if you need it.