ZINC - the gangster of minerals
Poor wound healing? Thinning hair? Chronic allergies? Hormonal issues? Dandy? Can't smell or taste? Depression? Anxiety? Bloating? Indigestion? No pooping? Too much pooping?
The list goes on.
All signs you may be deficient in the humble yet gangsta mineral - Z.I.N.C
Our food mirrors the quality of our soil. Unfortunately our soil is depleted of many minerals, especially zinc and so is our food.
WHY you might be deficient
Poor gut & digestive health- yep that old chestnut again. How do you expect to absorb and assimilate the nutrients from your food if your gut isn't right? The answer - you can't.
Stress- a fast way to deplete a lot of our vitamins and minerals. Overtraining is also a form of stress.
Pyrrole disorder-inhibits your ability to utilise zinc and increases it's excretion.
Poor dietary intake- plant based diets are naturally lower in zinc. Plant foods are also higher in phytic acid which reduces zinc bioavailability.
Medications-eg hormonal birth control and PPIs (proton pump inhibitors - reduces our digestive ability to break down food and absorb zinc)
Alcohol and caffeine- inhibits our absorption of zinc and increases it's excretion
WHY it’s important
Immune modulating- it protects our white blood cells, reduces cellular inflammation and oxidative stress...so.. a sucker punch in the face of infections!
Essential for our nervous system- deficiency can lead to mood disorders by causing a reduction in GABA (our 'anti-anxiety hormone'). Also assists with our stress response.
Holy grail for skin health- if you don't want acne, then you do want zinc. It reduces androgens and sebum production. Also helps with scarring as it supports cell renewal,
Healthy digestion and a happy gut -helps maintain the structural integrity of your gut and required for stomach acid production
Hormonal health- helps to regulate the menstural cycle and promote ovulation. Great for PCOS, fertility and period pain.
Men - if you're shooting blanks, check your zinc status. Low sperm counts have been shown to have lower zinc levels.
Crucial for thyroid hormone production and conversion of the inactive T4 to it's active T3.
Requirements are increased in babies, children, teens, pregnancy and lactation. A deficiency in zinc can result in growth failure
HOW to improve your zinc levels
Increase foods high in zinc- oysters, fish, pumpkin seeds, beef, eggs, cashews, brazil nuts, ginger
Soaking, germination and fermentation -can help reduce phytic acid and increase bioavailability of zinc from grains/legumes.
Reduce stress- practice mindfulness, stillness and breathing. Or simply pat your dog.
Improve your digestive fire- bitter foods, bitter herbs and lemon water will help stimulate your digestion
Supplementation- don't be a hero and self-prescribe. Different dosages and forms are required for your individual needs. Check with your practitioner what is best for you.
Always seperate your zinc supplements from iron- these compete for absorption.
***Be mindful of high doses as it can deplete your copper... and if your copper is high, well trust me you don't want a copper dump - that's not a fun time.