Uses And Health Benefits Of Zinc Supplements

Anorexia nervosa

Zinc could help stimulate the taste for foods in sufferers of anorexia nervosa.

Antioxidant properties

One particular form of zinc, zinc monomethionine, which is zinc bound together with methionine, an amino acid, was found to have antioxidant properties similar to those of beta-carotene, vitamin C and vitamin E.

Cadmium toxicity

Zinc therapy can help reduce cadmium toxicity arising from pollution or contaminated foods and water. Cadmium toxicity can worsen hypertension, atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease.

Cancer prevention

There is some interest in zinc’s role in cancer prevention as well as in supporting persons with cancers like leukemia and Hodgkin’s disease.

Colds

Similar to vitamin C, zinc has direct antiviral properties, including effects against some viruses which cause the common cold.

Recent double-blind studies had shown that zinc helped to lower both the frequency and severity of colds and other infections.

One particular double-blind clinical study revealed that lozenges which contained zinc markedly shortened the average duration of common colds. These days, lozenges for the common cold often contain zinc. In that study, the patients had taken lozenges which had 23 mg of elemental zinc every 2 waking hours after consuming an initial double-dose, dissolving the lozenges in their mouths.

Other reports have also suggested zinc lozenges could help to relieve the symptoms and shorten the duration of common colds.

Environmental sensitivities and allergies

Persons who have environmental sensitivities and allergies could benefit from taking zinc supplements.

Gastric ulcers

150 mg of zinc per day helped gastric ulcers to heal more rapidly.

Heart disease symptoms

Zinc could be useful with lessening the symptoms of heart disease.

Immune function

Zinc plays a part in almost every aspect of immune function. Low zinc levels are linked to lower T cell numbers, lower levels of thymic hormone, and the ceasing of many white blood cell functions which are crucial to the immune response.

Zinc is one of the supportive nutrients used to improve suppressed immunity. It increases T lymphocyte production and improves the functions of other white blood cells.

One study revealed that zinc supplements helped to markedly reverse the low immune function which is so characteristic of aging.

Infections

Zinc can help with infections such as herpes, trichomoniasis and AIDS, in particular when there is a case of zinc deficiency. [Haas, MD]

Haas also wrote that a daily dose of 50 mg to 75 mg of zinc could be a therapeutic one to help with healing infections.

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