What is Zinc and where is it found?Zinc is really important to the human body because it is found in every tissue. It is used in cell division and is a really good antioxidant, which can help to prevent cancer. Zinc is also involved with our hormones and maintaining certain levels. A Zinc deficiency may offer an explanation as to why you may be feeling tired due to an inability to sleep, suffer from acne or take longer to recover from a cold.
A zinc deficiency is ranked at number 5 in the cause of disease worldwide!
In third world countries, it is the cause of high mortality rates because of the problems it can cause in children such as diarrhea and pneumonia.
Signs that you may be Zinc deficient:
1. Fertility:
Your reproductive system may not function as it should if you do not consume enough zinc-rich foods. This could lead to having low libido and make it difficult to become pregnant.
2. Immunity:
Zinc is vital to help look after your immune system and ensure it is strong to fight off disease. If you are prone to colds, and they take a long time to go, it could be down to your Zinc levels.
3. Skin:
Your skin holds 6% of the total amount of zinc in the body. If your body is lacking zinc, your skin may become dry and pale. If you have noticed the appearance of stretch marks on the body, this too could be a lack of zinc. When you have enough zinc present in the body, it performs synthesis within the cells which can help the healing of acne wounds faster.
4. Hair loss:
If your hair is lacking in Zinc it will grow normally. You may first notice an appearance of dandruff which then leads to hair loss.
5. Allergies:
A zinc deficiency can lead to an increase in your histamine levels. If you have too much histamine in your body, you will begin to experience symptoms such as the runny nose, itchy eyes, etc.
6. Joint pain:
Your bones hold a large amount of zinc so if your body is missing it, you may start to experience pain and discomfort.
7. Appetite issues:
If your body does not contain sufficient amounts of zinc, it can lead to a loss of appetite which can then result in more serious problems. If you are eating less, you are obviously losing out on essential vitamins and minerals from food. Your body would then become weak and your immunity is then at risk.
8. Sleep:
Zinc plays a big part in how well you sleep as it is involved in the production and regulation of melatonin, which is a hormone that helps you drift off to sleep.
There are a lot of symptoms not mentioned above that can identify a zinc deficiency. It’s an essential dietary mineral so you should aim to try to incorporate more zinc-rich foods into your diet. A great source of zinc can be found in pecan, cashews, pumpkin seeds, pine nuts, eggs, and fish.
