How to Boost Your Zinc Intake

(Extraído de Natural Therapy Pages)

'What is zinc?

Zinc is a nutrient that is sourced from the diet. It is a mineral that participates in many metabolic processes, thus rendering it essential to an individual's well being. It is also responsible for:

• Injury healing
• Growth and development, especially during pregnancy, childhood and adolescence
• Hair growth
• Insulin production
• A strong immune system
• Smell
• Taste
• Fertility

When to Increase your Zinc Intake

You may like to consider increasing your zinc intake with zinc deficiencies or in times where extra zinc is in need. Increased zinc intake may be suitable with:

• Chronically suppressed immune systems/ immunity conditions
• Common cold or flu
• Gastrointestinal diseases, such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease)
• Vegetarians
• Pregnant and lactating women
• Older infants that are exclusively breastfed
• Alcoholics
• Diarrhea
• Age-Related macular degeneration
• Poor/inadequate diets/nutrition
• Osteoarthritis
• PMS
• Senile cataracts
• Anorexia Nervosa
• Alopecia
• Alzeimer’s disease
• Grave’s disease
• Diabetes
• Male infertility
• AIDS/ HIV
• Acne

Recommended Zinc Dosage

Supplemental zinc comes in many forms such as zinc gluconate, zinc oxide, zinc aspartate, zinc picolinate, zinc citrate, zinc monomethionine, and zinc histidine. Zinc supplements are available on a standalone basis or as part of other supplements. A “standard” dose is 10-15 milligrams of elemental zinc per day.

How to Boost Your Zinc Intake

There are many ways to increase your Zinc intake. Some of these include:

Zinc supplements

Supplemental Zinc comes in many forms, including liquid, tablet, capsule or powder.

Decrease iron supplementation

Recent scientific studies have demonstrated that large supplemental doses of Iron (more than twenty five grams) may decrease zinc absorption levels significantly. To increase zinc levels in this situation, take Iron supplements instead between meals.

Zinc throat lozenges

Made from zinc glutonate, zinc throat lozenges are generally pleasant in taste, dissolving in the mouth over a 15-25 minute period. The zinc content in these lozenges is easily absorbed, making them an excellent way especially to shorten the length of the common cold or flu.

Seafoods & red meat

As the mineral is prevalent in most meat and seafood products, increase your intake of each to increase your zinc levels. Good sources in particular include oysters, lobster, king crab, pork, lamb and chicken.

Beans

Increased your intake of beans to increase zinc levels. Some good bean sources of zinc include baked beans, garbanzo, kidney beans and peas.

Dairy products

In addition to offering high amounts of Vitamin D, Calcium and protein, dairy products offer a decent amount of zinc. Good dairy sources include Milk, Swiss, cheddar and mozzarella cheese.

Nuts

Nuts such almonds and cashews not only offer high amounts of vitamin E, but are also the ideal way to increase your zinc intake.