Benefits of Zinc

Zinc Benefits for Your Health

Since the time in high school chemistry lesson we certainly know a given mineral symbol Zn (zinc). This mineral is needed for our body because it has a very important role although the amount can be fairly small.

The recommended daily dose of zinc varies in each person. The recommended daily dose of zinc is 15 mg / day for adult males and 12 mg / day for adult women.

Benefits of zinc mineral for human health:

   1.  Support protein synthesis and collagen formation thereby accelerating the wound healing process

   2.  Enhance the immune system and prevent free radical 

   3.  For men helps prevent prostate enlargement

   4.  Helps the liver in removing metabolic waste

   5.  Help prevent breakouts by regulating oil glands work

   6.  Help the normal function of the pancreas to produce insulin

   7.  Prevent hair loss

   8.  Increase semen production

   9.  Overcome night blindness

   10. Stimulates the activity of over 200 enzymes in the human body

   11. Increase the metabolism of hormones

   12. Address the growing interference of intelligence in children

   13. Overcome the infection of the mouth / tongue / thrush

   14. Act as aromatize (an enzyme responsible for converting testosterone into estrogen) inhibitor.

   15. Increase testosterone production

       etc.

Zinc deficiency can have some adverse effects on the body such as hypogonadal, a condition in which the body lacks the reproductive hormones. For men, an effect that can be seen is the emergence of breasts in men (gynecomastia).

However, do not go overboard in taking zinc as well as it also has adverse effects such pressing immune and can also cause epilepsy.

The main benefit of Zinc:

Regulate immune function
The body needs zinc to activate T lymphocytes (T cells). T cells help protect the body in two ways:   

• Control and regulate the immune response
• Attack the infected cells or cancer

Severe Zinc deficiency can impair the function of the immune system. According to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, "people with zinc deficiency have increased susceptibility to various pathogens".

Treating Diarrhea
The World Health Organization (WHO) says that diarrhea is a "killer 1.6 million children under five every year." A PLoS Medicine study, which "follows the national public health campaign to increase the use of zinc in childhood diarrhea in Bangladesh", asserts that the administration of zinc tablets for 10 days was effective for treating diarrhea and also help prevent future attacks of diarrhea infections.

Affect Learning and Memory
Research conducted at the University of Toronto and published in the journal Neuron reveals that zinc has an important role in regulating how neurons communicate with each other, which affects how memories are formed and how we learn.

Treating colds
Zinc lozenges are known to shorten the duration of common cold episodes by 40% in a study published in the Open Respiratory Medicine Journal.
In addition, the Cochrane review concluded that the consumption of "zinc (either in the form of lozenges or syrup) is useful in reducing the duration and severity of colds in healthy people, when taken within 24 hours of onset of symptoms."

Healing Wound.
Zinc is also known to protect the skin and mucous membranes. Doctors often use zinc supplements to treat skin ulcers.

Prevent Degeneration Age Related Macular Degeneration.
Macular degeneration is a condition named macular setbacks / changes resulting in decreased visual acuity and is likely to cause loss of central visual function.

Zinc prevents cell damage in the retina, which helps in delaying the development of macular degeneration and vision loss, according to a study published in the Archives of Ophthalmology.

Recommended Daily Dose of Zinc

The recommended daily dose of zinc varies in each person. Here are the recommended daily dose of zinc:

- Infants aged 0-6 months: about 2 mg

- Children aged 7 months - 3 years: 3 mg

- Children aged 4-8 years: 5 mg

- Children aged 9-13 years: 8 mg

The optimal number of zinc intake is different between men and women after the age of 14 years. Here are the recommended daily dose:

- Male: 11 mg

- Women: 9 mg

- Pregnant women: 13 mg

- Lactating women: 14 mg
Zinc Rich food sources

Some foods rich in zinc including the red meat, poultry, crab, lobster, peanuts, beans, milk, yogurt, cheese, whole grain breads, and breakfast cereals incorporating zinc.

Foods with the highest content of zinc are oysters, one serving (about 6 oysters) contains 76.7 mg of zinc.

Highest levels of zinc intake is still tolerable for adults is 40 mg, so it is advised not to eat more than 3 oysters per day.

Too much intake of zinc can cause zinc poisoning. The symptoms are vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and severe headaches. High levels of zinc can cause the body's difficulty in copper and iron absorption. This can cause the immune system becomes weak and anemic.

Intake of too little zinc can cause zinc deficiency. Symptoms of zinc deficiency include poor growth, weight loss, the appearance of lesions on the skin, and hair loss.
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