I find it ironic that I had a zinc deficiency for years without realizing it… especially because I’d written a senior biology paper on the functions of zinc in human biology.
Like magnesium, I knew the many ways that zinc functions within the body, but I assumed I was obtaining enough from food. Many processed foods are fortified with zinc, and it also occurs naturally in foods such as oysters, beef, chicken, pumpkin seeds, lamb, spinach, and yogurt.
Zinc is a master-mineral of sorts (along with magnesium), and is needed for many reactions within the body. Unlike fat soluble vitamins, zinc is not stored for long periods of time in the body, so we need a constant supply of quality zinc from our diet.
We don’t need large amounts of zinc each day, but it is absolutely vital that we get enough. Zinc is technically an essential trace element that is important for:
We know that zinc is involved in thousands of reactions within the body and recent research is even showing that zinc might be vital in protecting the body against various types of viruses and cancers.
Zinc is especially important for fertility and during pregnancy and while nursing, although pregnant and nursing women and young babies may be most at risk for zinc deficiency. Some studies have even shown that zinc is vital for avoiding premature labor and low birth weight in infants, though more research is needed in this area.
About 90% of the body’s zinc is found in muscle and bone tissue, making it difficult to test for zinc deficiency. In fact, plasma zinc only makes up about 0.1% of the zinc in the body. When consumed, zinc is absorbed in the small intestine. It is then excreted through the skin, the kidneys, and the bowels.
Zinc may be a larger problem worldwide than once thought. While severe zinc deficiency can cause a variety of extreme symptoms, researchers estimate that a large percentage of the world’s population may have a mild zinc deficiency.
Pregnant and nursing women are considered higher risk of zinc deficiency (and this was my reason for deficiency), as are those with gut problems, babies born prematurely, or those who have consumed a high-grain or vegetarian diet (especially for a long period of time). Those with liver or kidney disease, diabetes, gastrointestinal diseases and those taking large amounts of Iron are also at risk.