Benefits of Zinc in the Human Body

Benefits of Zinc in the Human Body

Benefits of Zinc in the Human Body

Did you know that zinc is one of the most abundant minerals in the human body? It plays a significant role in our immune, reproductive, and nervous systems. Our bodies use zinc to maintain proper cell functioning and development, tissue growth, maximal utilization of food nutrients, synthesis of proteins and wound healing. You need to load up on zinc to protect your body from disease!

Benefits of Zinc in the Human Body

Zinc is an excellent mineral to consume, whether it's a multivitamin or natural and food-oriented. Your body will thank you for consuming zinc, so take advantage of it. The drinking water quality standards and parameters indicate that the permissible limit of zinc in drinking water is 5mg/L, and the maximum limit is 15mg/L. (1) As per the RDA limits of zinc for adults, the uptake daily limit is 11mg and the upper limit is 40mg. (12)

1) Boosts Immunity

The immune system is responsible for protecting us from illnesses and infections. Zinc is an essential mineral that helps build the immune system and protects from disease and infection. It boosts your immune system by helping white blood cells produce antibodies that fight off infections.

Research has shown that zinc may reduce the severity and duration of cold symptoms due to its anti-inflammatory effects on tissues lining respiratory passages and the nose. (3) In addition, zinc has been shown to enhance immune function by increasing the production of T-cells that help fight infection.

Without zinc, our white blood cells would be unable to fight off viruses and bacteria. Zinc also helps keep our white blood cells alive for extended periods to do their job more efficiently.

If your body does not receive enough zinc, you will be more susceptible to getting sick because it does not have enough of this mineral to fight off the viruses and bacteria that cause these illnesses.

2) Helps in Wound Healing

Zinc is needed to heal wounds and has been shown to speed up the healing process of wounds.

It is a crucial mineral in forming collagen — the protein that supports skin and tissue health. A zinc-rich diet helps maintain healthy skin and hair follicles by reducing inflammation and preventing excessive hair loss. Zinc is also essential for maintaining our nails and hair, as it helps strengthen the hair follicles and nails.

Zinc deficiency can cause skin disorders like acne, rashes, hair loss, delayed wound healing, and other skin problems. It can also lead to poor wound healing and chronic skin issues like eczema or dermatitis. Zinc supplements are often used by people suffering from these skin conditions.

3) Treats the Common Cold

Zinc helps your body fight off colds when exposed to dangerous viruses, such as influenza A and parainfluenza. It does this by preventing the replication of these viruses in your body. Getting enough zinc in your diet is essential, but it's also vital to replenish your body after a long illness.

It is believed that when people suffer from a cold, they often have insufficient zinc in their bodies. This can lead to sore throat, congestion, cough, runny nose, and fatigue. Zinc supplements can help alleviate these symptoms by boosting your immune system to better fight off infections.

Zinc is a powerful antioxidant that helps fight off any nasty colds you may be experiencing. (8, 9) It has been shown to shorten the duration of the common cold when taken at the onset of symptoms.

4) Reduces inflammation

Zinc has been shown to reduce inflammation, which can help with conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and rosacea. It's also great for treating acne and other skin conditions.

It is a crucial mineral for reducing inflammation. It does this by reducing the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. It can also help reduce developing asthma, allergies, and eczema.

It can reduce inflammation by suppressing the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (messengers) from white blood cells called neutrophils. This reduces swelling and pain associated with joint problems and arthritis.

When we don't consume enough zinc, our bodies will suffer inflammation issues. (6) This can lead to acne, psoriasis, and other skin disorders. Zinc helps to reduce these conditions by regulating the body's inflammatory response and keeping it at a healthy level.

5) Wrapping Up

Zinc has a vital role in the medical field, and it can also be included in a daily diet to promote overall health. It is critical to help prevent the common cold, alleviate joint pain and even slow the progression of infection. Considering how prevalent zinc is in our diets, this element should continue to serve as a primary defence against disease and illness.

References

  1. WATER QUALITY PARAMETERS AND BIS STANDARDS FOR VARIOUS CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL CONSTITUENTS http://iitk.ac.in/iwd/wq/drinkingwater.html Accessed on 28/07/2022.
  2. Institute of Medicine. Food and Nutrition Board. Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Arsenic, Boron, Chromium, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel, Silicon, Vanadium, and Zinc: a Report of the Panel on Micronutrients. Washington, DC: National Academy Press; 2001. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK222317/ Accessed on 23/05/2022.
  3. Singh M, Das RR. Zinc for the common cold. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2011 Feb 16;(2):CD001364. Accessed on 23/05/2022.
  4. Gammoh, N. Z., et al. (2017). Zinc in infection and inflammation. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5490603/ Accessed on 23/05/2022.
  5. Lin, P.-H., et al. (2018). Zinc in wound healing modulation. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5793244/ Accessed on 23/05/2022.
  6. Olechnowicz, J., et al. (2018). Zinc status is associated with inflammation, oxidative stress, lipid, and glucose metabolism. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5754376/ Accessed on 23/05/2022.
  7. Clinical management of acute diarrhoea. (2004). https://www.unicef.org/nutrition/files/ENAcute_Diarrhoea_reprint.pdf Accessed on 26/07/2022.
  8. Zinc Lozenges May Shorten the Duration of Colds: A Systematic Review. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3136969/ Accessed on 28/07/2022
  9. Zinc: Fact sheet for consumers. (2019). Accessed on 26/07/2022 https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Zinc-Consumer/
  10. Zinc: Fact sheet for health professionals. (2020). Accessed on 26/07/2022 https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Zinc-HealthProfessional/
  11. Oxidative stress, mitochondrial damage and neurodegenerative diseases (2013). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4145906/ Accessed on 28/07/2022
  12. Recommended Daily Intakes and Upper Limits for Vitamins and Minerals | ConsumerLab.com Accessed on 08/08/2022
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