Zinc Deficiency – How This One Deficiency Can Affect Every Part of the Body

One nutrient deficiency can have a drastic effect on your health. We will illustrate by using zinc, but every nutrient is similar in that it is necessary for multiple body activities. What applies to zinc applies to all nutrients.

What is Zinc?
Zinc is a mineral that is involved in numerous aspects of cellular metabolism, being essential for activation of almost 200 enzymes that have vital roles in the body. When enzymes do not get activated, they cannot perform their necessary functions which, in turn, damages health. Zinc promotes healthy skin, hair, immunity, fertility, and growth.

What Does Zinc Do In The Body?

1. Role in cell regulation;
2. Required in immune function to fight off invading bacteria and viruses;
3. Role in maintaining proper acid/base balance;
4. Role in production of DNA and RNA (genetic material in all cells);
5. Role in production of proteins;
6. Required for lipid metabolism;
7. Required for production of eicosanoids (signaling chemical);
8. Essential for male and female fertility;
9. Required in vitamin A metabolism (getting out of liver storage and transporting);
10. Supports normal development during gestation, childhood and adolescence;
11. Required for normal pregnancy and labor;
12. Component of insulin (energy metabolism);
13. Component of thymic hormones (immune function); and
14. Component of gustin for sense of smell and taste (taste acuity).

 

What Can Go Wrong When Zinc is Deficient?

Here is a list :

Abnormal Blood Values in Childhood

Alopecia Areata

Alopecia, Diffuse (Balding Hair Loss)

Anorexia or Loss of Appetite

Congenital Anomalies

Crohn’s Disease

Delayed Puberty in Boys

Delayed Puberty In Girls

Depression

Chronic Diarrhea

Acute Diarrhea

Down Syndrome

Dysbiosis (Intestinal)

Dysgeusia (Impaired Taste)

Eczema (Atopic Dermatitis)

Failure To Thrive And Growth Retardation

Fine Hair With Rough Texture

Hyperprolactinemia (Excess Prolactin Hormone)

Hypogonadism In Adult Males That Is Unexplained

Acquired Ichthyosis

Infertility in Females

Infertility In Males

Intrauterine Growth Retardation

Miscarriage (Spontaneous Abortion)

Nails, White Spots And White Bands

Obstetrical Complications

Osteoporosis

Short Stature

Smell, Loss of  

Turner’s Syndrome 

Weight Loss, Unexpected/ Inability To Gain Weight

Zincemia (Low Zinc Blood Level)

Identifying and correcting our nutrient deficiencies is a crucial and ongoing step to achieving and maintaining optimal health.

Using the Health Recovery Center to Identify and Correct Zinc Deficiency. 

Visit the Zinc Deficiency page on the Health Recovery Center. You can search the Nutrient Deficiency Index or review the Zinc Deficiency Category in the right sidebar Site Map.

The Zinc Deficiency page explains Zinc, How Zinc Deficiency Presents in Celiac Disease, Prevalence, How the Body Gets Zinc, Symptoms, What Zinc Does in the Body, How Zinc Deficiency Develops in Celiac Disease and Gluten Sensitivity, and How Zinc Deficiency Responds to a Gluten Free Diet.

After learning all about Zinc Deficiency, you will come to the 6 Steps to Correct Zinc Deficiency.

• Step 1 lists the daily allowance you need to meet or exceed.
• Step 2 provides a list of dietary plant and animal sources of zinc.
• Step 3 covers foods to avoid because they interfere with zinc  absorption.
• Step 4 lists medications that limit zinc absorption.
• Step 5 tells you how to manage supplements so you get enough zinc.
• Step 6 describes how zinc interacts or interferes with other supplements so you know which to take a different times.

 

If you are experiencing a zinc deficiency, follow the 6 step process correcting the deficiency.

Each Nutrient Deficiency in the Gluten Free Works Health Recovery Center is composed the same way, so once you know how to use one, you know how to use them all.

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Author: John Libonati
Source: Gluten Free Works Health Recovery Center, Weekly Subscriber Newsletter, April 17, 2015.