How does Zinc help your body, is 50mg of Zinc too much and should you take Zinc supplements?
#zinc #zincsupplements #zincsulfate
What is Zinc? Zinc is an essential trace element, which means that the body cannot generate it on its own or store it; it has to come from your diet.
Dietary Sources of Zinc: • Chicken and other poultry. • Seafood, particularly shellfish like oysters, crab, mussels and lobster. • Nuts. • Grains, beans, lentils and split peas. • Spinach. • Dairy products - milk, yoghurt, cheese. • Fortified breakfast cereal. • Red meat
Symptoms of Zinc Deficiency: • Losing weight. • Not feeling hungry. • Diarrhoea. • Having no energy. • Being more prone to infections, such as colds, coughs and chest infections. • Losing your hair. • Skin rashes. • Problems with eyesight, taste or smell. • Impotence. Symptoms in children and adolescents: • Halting of growth. • Delayed puberty. Development of learning difficulty.
Causes of Zinc Deficiency: • Malnourishment • Being Vegetarian or Vegan • Pregnancy & breastfeeding • Ulcerative Colitis • Crohn's Disease • Coeliac Disease • Chronic diarrhoea • Alcohol addiction • Chronic liver or kidney disease • Taking high dose iron supplements • Acrodermatitis enteropathica
Medications that interact with Zinc: • Penicillamine • Thiazide diuretics eg Bendrofluazide • Quinolone and tetracycline antibiotics eg Ciprofloxacin or Doxycycline Please discuss your medications with your pharmacist if you are unsure.
Zinc Supplement side effects: • Headaches. • An unpleasant taste. • Tummy ache. • Feeling sick (nausea), or being sick (vomiting). • Diarrhoea. • Indigestion. • Tiredness. Never take more than the recommended amount, due to the risks of excess zinc.
Cautions of Zinc Supplementation: • Zinc may accumulate in Acute Kidney Disease • Those with Haemochromatosis may absorb larger amounts of zinc. • Excess zinc supplementation can interfere with iron and copper absorption. • It can also reduce magnesium and calcium absorption.