Move over, vitamin C. Zinc may be the new cold fighter in town. Many studies have shown that taking a zinc supplement may help shorten the duration of the common cold, but it also plays a big part in promoting proper growth. Zinc is considered a trace mineral, which means your body needs only a small amount of it to work properly. Zinc heals wounds and keeps your immune system humming and ready to take on threatening bacteria and viruses. Zinc also helps the body make protein and DNA. Some studies suggest zinc may help slow the progression of macular degeneration when combined with other vitamins and antioxidants, though more research is needed. Symptoms of zinc deficiency include: 8. Zinc is found in many foods, including meat red meat, turkey, lamb, and chicken, seafood oysters and crab, baked beans, and fortified breakfast cereals.
If you buy something through a link on this page, we may earn a small commission. How this works. Zinc is a trace element that is necessary for a healthy immune system. A lack of zinc can make a person more susceptible to disease and illness. It is responsible for a number of functions in the human body, and it helps stimulate the activity of at least different enzymes. Only a small intake of zinc is necessary to reap the benefits. Currently, the recommended dietary allowance RDA for zinc in the United States is 8 milligrams mg a day for women and 11 mg a day for men. The element is naturally found in many different foods, but it is also available as a dietary supplement. Here are some key points about zinc.
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However, the tolerable upper limit for zinc is 40 milligrams for males and females over 18 years. However, lower serum zinc concentrations in critically ill patients at high risk of organ failure have been associated with recurrent sepsis episodes and poorer outcomes , Does ZMA cause weird dreams? While zinc supplementation during pregnancy and infancy is recommended in populations likely to be zinc deficient 43, 71, 75, its use in HIV infection management requires further investigation Zinc and immune function: the biological basis of altered resistance to infection.
Click here to see the full set of references for this page. Effect of zinc supplementation on growth and body composition in children with sickle cell disease. Currently, these safety concerns have not been found to be associated with cold lozenges containing zinc. Another opposite mechanism consists in intoxicating intracellular microbes within macrophages with excess zinc