Did you know that over 2 billion people in the world are zinc deficient? Keep reading to learn more about the signs of zinc deficiency and how it affects your body?
What is Zinc?
Zinc is a very important trace mineral, necessary for the proper functioning of our body. The body does not store zinc, so we have to take it in constantly. We don’t need a lot of it, but if we lack it, we experience many health problems. Zinc acts as a cofactor for more than a thousand enzymes.
What Causes Zinc Deficiency?
Here are some things that can reduce zinc absorption, thus causing zinc deficiency:
- Phytates in wheat, bran, rice and grains creates zinc deficiency
- Refined sugar
- Gut damage
- Infection
- Antibiotics
- Liver disease
- Diabetes
- GMO foods
- Too much calcium, iron, copper or cadmium
- Casein
- Stress
- A lot of tannins
What Can Increase the Absorption of Zinc?
Things that can help increase zinc absorption include:
- Enough protein
- Strong stomach acid
- Red meat
- Cheese
- Nuts & seeds
- Shellfish
Zinc deficiency Symptoms
The most common symptoms of zinc deficiency include:
- Impaired memory
- Low immune system
- Decline in mental health
- Memory problems
- Inflammatory skin issues like dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis, acne
- Hair loss or thinning hair
- Loss of appetite
- A decrease in senses
- Impaired growth
- Inflammation
- Depression
- Inflamed gums
- Digestive issues
- Chronic disease
- Anorexia
- Night blindness
- Premenstrual syndrome
- Unwanted facial hair
- Fertility issue
- Hearing loss and tinnitus
- Susceptibility to infection
- Chronic fatigue
- Infected nail beds, weak nails or white spots on the nails
- Leaky gut syndrome
- Lack of taste and smell
- Macular degeneration
- Decreased bone density
- Increased insulin resistance
- Ulcers
- Diarrhoea or IBS
- Slow healing wounds
Foods Rich in Zinc
Here are some foods that are rich in zinc:
- Red meat
- Shellfish
- Crab meat
- Legumes
- Dark chocolate
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Broccoli
- Mushrooms
- Milk and cheese
- Eggs
- Garlic
- Halibut
Fruits containing some zinc include:
Additional zinc can be obtained from supplements, usually in pill or capsule form. If you have any of the symptoms listed above and think you might have a zinc deficiency, talk to your doctor, who will ask you to do a test and recommend treatment.
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➥ DISCLAIMER: This post is not intended to replace medical treatment. The information provided is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.