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| zinc | ||||||||||||||
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What is it? |
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The body cannot function without this heavy metal. It's a MINERAL
essential to the synthesis of DNA and RNA, of proteins, insulin and
sperm. The body needs zinc, too, to metabolize CARBOHYDRATES,
FATS, PROTEIN
and alcohol; to dispose of carbon dioxide; to make good use of VITAMIN
A. More than seventy different enzymes require zinc to do their
appointed work. And that's not all. Zinc bolsters the immune system and
makes wounds heal faster. It's integral to the growth and maintenance of
body tissues; it plays a major role in the development of fetuses and
the growth of children. It even hones the palate. Does zinc stop colds
in their tracks, as folk practitioners have claimed for years? Well,
maybe. When zinc lozenges are dissolved on the tongue, Dartmouth
researchers say, the runny nose dries and the cold virus fails to
multiply. But only if the zinc treatment starts at first sneeze.
Swallowing zinc pills has little effect although some nutritionists and
physicians believe that if you've been getting your daily dose of zinc,
you're more likely to resist colds.
Deficiency Symptoms Stunted growth, loss of appetite and ability to taste food, slowness to heal. Substantial amounts of zinc are lost in milling and processing, also in the soaking water of dried peas and beans unless that water is recycled. In addition, the fiber and phytates in food bind zinc, making some of it unavailable to the body.Precautions Only those on zinc supplements risk ODing. The first symptom is likely to be vomiting, the body's way of purging itself of the excess. The zinc in galvanized containers can combine with acid fruit drinks, producing a toxin that apes the symptoms of food poisoning — a fact a group of Southern picnickers learned the hard way after drinking lemonade carried to the picnic site in a tin bucket. A more common problem is that zinc interferes with the body's ability to use copper, another reason to avoid high doses. Now comes word from a new Massachusetts study that links zinc with Alzheimer's. Researchers suggest that zinc may trigger the formation of the destructive plaque that shows up so prominently in the brains of Alzheimer's patients (all the more reason not to scarf down zinc tablets).Hair Analysis Findings Hair zinc levels show a number of interesting correlations, such as lower levels reported in lung cancer. Another study involving cancer showed that children with malignancies in remission exhibited the same values for zinc, copper, and a zinc/copper ratio as did controls. In contrast, children with malignancies not in remission showed decreased hair levels of zinc and copper and an increased zinc/copper ratio. In addition, maternal levels of zinc were decreased in women who bore children with neural tube defects. Zinc levels in hair were also low in children with PICA, anorexia, and poor growth.Good Sources High-protein foods like meat, poultry (especially dark meat), shellfish, legumes and whole grains.Standard Process Supplements Trace Minerals B12, Chezyn, Immuplex |
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