Oftentimes, we can be our own best medical advocates. By keeping to a diet rich in antioxidant vitamins and nutrients, we can boost our immune systems to ward off a litany of ailments and infection.
Our bodies produce molecules that can damage cells, called free radicals. Antioxidants such as zinc help neutralize these potentially dangerous free radicals. Researchers believe that when the balance between free radicals and antioxidants is upset, it can contribute to developing cancer and heart disease, as well as age-related diseases [source: WebMD ].
To get enough antioxidants in your diet, experts recommend eating an abundance of brightly colored fruits and vegetables, including berries, citrus fruits, kiwi, apples, red grapes, kale, onions, spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots. Zinc also not only increases the production of white blood cells that fight infection, but also helps them fight more aggressively.
It also increases killer cells that fight against cancer and helps white cells release more antibodies. Zinc increases the number of infection-fighting T-cells, especially in elderly people who are often deficient in zinc and whose immune system may weaken with age [source: NIH ]. Zinc is a key mineral that helps produce thyroid-releasing hormones, or TRH, in your brain, which then signals your pituitary to make thyroid-stimulating hormone TSH.
In men, the failure to do this also results in low testosterone levels. According to several studies, low zinc levels are associated with low T3 active thyroid hormone , and a reduced ability to convert T4 see sidebar to T3 [source: Richards ]. Alcohol use can exacerbate this situation. If you're dealing with low thyroid symptoms and consume any amount of alcohol, consider taking supplemental zinc.
The thyroid gland produces a number of essential hormones, including thyroxine also called T4 , that play a broad-but-vital role in metabolism, growth and development, and body temperature. Zinc is an important cofactor in proper thyroid function. Men can be hard on their bodies.
And the more active they are — whether at work, in the gym or in the yard — the more stress they put on our muscular-skeletal system.
Coincidentally, most of their personal stores of zinc are found our muscles, where its role in cell building and repair is particularly useful after strenuous activities. The very act of exercising — from weight training to running to raking the lawn — puts muscles under stress.
We literally break them down, on a cellular level, when we use them. While at rest, our muscles grow back bigger and stronger. Zinc is a key component in this process, from providing proper structure to cells and proteins to helping us get the rest that the process requires. Furthermore, muscles at work expend considerable energy, leading to the production of free radicals. Intense training can result in heavy sweating and inadequate caloric intake, both of which can lead to insufficient levels of zinc.
Since zinc's role as an antioxidant is crucial to mitigating the adverse effects of free radicals, anyone undergoing a rigorous fitness regimen should monitor their zinc intake to make sure they maintain adequate levels.
Sign up for our Newsletter! Mobile Newsletter banner close. Mobile Newsletter chat close. Mobile Newsletter chat dots. Mobile Newsletter chat avatar. Mobile Newsletter chat subscribe. Men's Health. Men's Health Tips. Normalising your testosterone levels can then help to correct some of the problems listed above. Problems such as BPH enlarged prostate and prostatitis can cause unpleasant symptoms such as frequent urination , weak urine stream , difficulty urinating and sudden urges to urinate, which can really get in the way of daily life and interrupt sleep.
Zinc is one of the most important nutrients for prostate health! Protein is present in almost every cell and structure in the body, from your brain cells to your artery walls and even your DNA! It helps to build strong muscles, repair damage, promote healthy skin and build healthy cells. When we eat protein, it gets broken down by the body into amino acids and then resynthesized into the different proteins needed by the body, and zinc is a vital part of this process.
While women will appreciate the benefits of zinc for hair too, we know that this can be a particular problem for men — especially as you grow older and that hairline begins to slowly recede!
Since zinc is so important for protein synthesis, it is also important for building the main protein that makes up your hair — keratin! Without enough zinc, your hair will become weak, thin and more likely to fall out, and your body will then find it harder to grow more. Add one sachet to a little water for a refreshing drink. Read more customer reviews.
Also available in the following size: 21 x 5. One of the main sources of zinc is red meat and poultry; however, we tend to recommend lowering your intake of meat as it can be full of unhealthy fats and inflammatory chemicals, which can worsen problems such as joint pain , BPH and heart disease. Instead, we would recommend increasing your intake of nuts and seeds — especially pumpkin seeds!
These are so tasty toasted with a little paprika for seasoning and make the perfect evening snack. You can also pick up some pumpkin seed butter from your local health food store as this contains lots of zinc, and is really tasty on toast or in baking.
In fact, oysters are so rich in zinc that eating too much can cause an accidental zinc overdose, so just be wary of this.
Bear in mind as well that oysters are a common source of food poisoning, and they are also very high in cholesterol — might be best to stick to your nuts and seeds! The other option is to take a supplement. This article reviews the importance of zinc Zn in elderly people, particularly for behavioural and mental function, micronutrient status, immune and antioxidant system, and bone metabolism. Zinc Zn is essential for human health and well-being.
It has a structural and functional role in a large number of macromolecules and is required for over enzymic reactions. Zn ions participate in all aspects of intermediary metabolism, transmission, and regulation of the expression of genetic information, storage, synthesis, and action of peptide hormones and structural maintenance of chromatin and biomembranes.
Zn is thus needed for growth and development, protein and DNA synthesis, neuro-sensory functions, cell-mediated immunity, thyroid, and bone metabolism.
Long-term marginal intakes of Zn coupled with a decreased absorptive efficiency could severely compromise Zn status in older individuals. Indeed, a moderate deficiency of Zn is often observed in elderly subjects Blumberg, , even in industrialized countries. This suboptimal status might be responsible for the high incidence of infections and degenerative pathologies related to age including diminished taste acuity, oxidative stress, altered immunity function, neurological disorders.
This mini-review will present the importance of Zn in elderly for psychological functions, micronutrient status, immune and antioxidant system, and bone metabolism. Zn is found in the presynaptic vesicles of glutamatergic neurons, which use glutamate as a transmitter. The role of Zn in these neurons is controversial but may include participation in the storage, release and uptake of glutamate, and modulation of glutamate receptors Li et al, As Zn deprivation may influence brain Zn homeostasis, it is an important nutrient for the brain function Takeda et al, Evidence from the available literature suggests that both deficiency and excess of Zn may have profound positive and negative consequences, respectively, on human behaviour.
Serum Zn concentrations have been associated with impaired cognitive function in older individuals Ortega et al, Furthermore, older studies of human subjects reported that Zn deficient individuals have declined taste acuity which can be restored by Zn supplementation Markovits et al, ; however, the literature on this topic appears contradictory Fairweather-Tait, The balance among micronutrients within the body appears to be finely regulated and it is therefore very important, particularly in elderly, for whom deficiency in one or several micronutrients may have functional consequences on health.
High intakes of Zn depress copper Cu absorption and decrease Cu status by stimulating the formation of metallothionein MT. Cu deficiency adversely affects lipid metabolism by decreasing HDL-cholesterol Abiaka et al, and predisposes to cardiovascular abnormalities, by a mechanism which may involve free radical scavenging Klevay et al, Historically, the antagonism reported in literature was attributed to a competition between iron and zinc for transport by divalent metal transporter-1 DMT1 , which presents an affinity for iron and other divalent metals Gunshin et al, But, recent studies show that Zn does not reduce Fe absorption, by virtue of the fact that the DMT1 is not implicated in the intestinal Zn absorption Bannon et al, In the case of vitamins, marginal, or low Zn status has been shown to decrease absorption of food folate, because the brushborder membrane folate conjugase, responsible for cleaving folate prior to absorption, is a Zn-dependent enzyme.
Zn is necessary for the synthesis of hepatic cellular retinol-binding protein, which is essential for the intracellular transport of vitamin A in addition to its well-established extracellular transport role Mejia, Consequently, marginal Zn intake is associated with decreased mobilization of retinol from the liver and also with a lowered concentration of transport proteins in the blood, such as albumin, prealbumin, and transferring.
The literature shows also that dietary Zn deficiency may increase the nutritional requirement for vitamin E Bunk et al, , a very powerful antioxidant. Zn plays a vital role in normal immune function. With advancing ageing, there is a progressive decline in immune responses. Changes associated with ageing may be partly related to Zn deficiency, which induce comparable impairment of the immune response Dardenne, The normal functions of T cells are impaired by Zn depletion, but autoreactivity and alloreactivity are increased.
Secretion and function of cytokines, the basic messenger of the immune system are also adversely affected by Zn deficiency Prasad, On the other hand, impaired immune function in elderly subjects due to Zn deficiency has been shown to be reversed by an adequate Zn supplementation Prasad et al, ; Girondon et al, Zn has been shown to possess antioxidant activity in in vitro and in many animal and human studies Powell, ; Klotz et al, Dietary Zn deficiency causes increased susceptibility to oxidative damage of membrane fractions from some tissues.
Symptoms of zinc deficiency include loss of energy, poor appetite, slow healing wounds, long-term respiratory infections, acne , dermatitis, and psoriasis. The symptoms of zinc deficiency vary greatly with severity.
Cases of severe zinc deficiency are considered rare. They are often caused by genetic disorders or illnesses, but can take a serious toll on health. Moderate cases of zinc deficiency are relatively common and typically associated with an imbalanced or poor diet. Some 2 billion people in the developing world are thought to have mild to moderate zinc deficiencies. The symptoms of moderate zinc deficiency are often similar to those of severe cases. Moderate cases of zinc deficiency are not normally life-threatening for healthy adults but can greatly impair the development of young children.
Many of the symptoms of zinc deficiency and the condition itself are linked to additional health disorders. Symptoms of zinc deficiency include:. Those at the greatest risk of zinc deficiency are pregnant women, young children, and those over Most cases of zinc deficiency are caused by improper nutrition and most are the direct result of diet.
Strict vegetarians are at greater risk of developing a zinc deficiency because zinc is found predominantly in meat and shellfish. Legumes and some cereal grains also contain phytic acid, which blocks zinc absorption. Malnourishment or starvation can also lead to zinc deficiency. Diagnosing zinc deficiencies is challenging because zinc is involved in too many biological processes to have a unique biological fingerprint.
Zinc levels are often determined by plasma or serum tests. Zinc is a really important dietary mineral and it is vital for good health. A trace mineral, zinc plays a vital role in many aspects of human health, including growth, immunity, reproduction and sense perception. The best way to get zinc into the body is through natural sources that are found in food. It is easy to include zinc in a diet because it is found in a large number of foods. It is found in most things that contain iron, with the exception of milk products.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend meeting daily zinc needs through diet.
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