For your health benefit know about zinc and its benefits?
Zinc is of great importance in the human body, as the benefits of zinc are numerous, and a decrease in its levels can cause some symptoms. Here is the most important information in the article.
What do you know about zinc and the benefits of zinc? How many servings should you take daily? Here are all the answers below:
What is zinc?
Zinc is one of the important minerals for the body and health, as it is needed by the cells of your body to fight various bacteria and viruses, in addition to its important role in the production of the genetic material of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), which helps the body in the way it works, and many benefits that will be mentioned later in detail...
Zinc benefits
Let's get acquainted with the following about the most important benefits associated with taking zinc in its form in supplements or through its presence in foods:
1. Have healthy skin
Zinc helps your skin function as it should, as it protects it from cold and heat, and fights viruses and bacteria that accumulate on it.
In some cases, your doctor may prescribe zinc supplements for you if you have some skin problems, such as acne.
2. Contribute to the treatment of colds
It was found that taking zinc from its natural sources, within 24 hours of catching a cold, helps relieve symptoms of the disease and speed up the healing process.
3. Protect eyes
One of the benefits of zinc is that getting the necessary levels of it may help protect you from age-related macular degeneration.
It is worth noting that more scientific studies are needed to prove this relationship.
4. Protect hair from damage
Zinc intake contributes to protecting hair from many problems, such as hair loss and thinning.
5. Boost immunity
One of the most prominent benefits of zinc is that it enhances your immunity, because it helps T-cells in getting rid of damaged and cancerous cells, and it also contributes to regulating the immune response.
6. Contribute to increasing mental capacity
Zinc is important in improving your mental abilities in terms of learning speed and improving memory performance.
natural zinc sources
After learning about the benefits of zinc, you must be wondering about its natural sources, so here are the most prominent sources in the following:
- oysters ;
- Red meat.
- Cashew.
- dried legumes;
In most cases zinc is obtained from foods and rarely may suffer from zinc deficiency, but in specific cases, zinc deficiency may occur in the body, and these cases are as follows:
- Undergoing stomach or intestinal surgery.
- Intake of alcohol in abundance.
- Digestive diseases, such as Crohn's disease.
- Not eating meat and animal products.
Important information: Taking zinc supplements can weaken the effect of antibiotics, and they (i.e. antibiotics) reduce the effectiveness of your body's use of zinc, so consult your doctor before taking the supplement and tell him about the medications you are taking.
How much zinc do you need?
Your need for zinc varies depending on the age and gender, as follows:
- Adult men: need 11 milligrams per day.
- Adult women: need 8 milligrams per day.
- Pregnant and breastfeeding women: You need 12 milligrams per day.
- Children: need 2-11 milligrams, depending on age and gender, and you should consult a doctor about the appropriate daily portion for your child.
The effects of zinc deficiency in the body
The benefits of zinc for the body mean that its deficiency will certainly cause damage to your body or your child’s body, and the most prominent of these damages are the following:
- the slow growth of children
- Delayed puberty in adolescents.
- High risk of hair loss.
- The incidence of diarrhea.
- Anorexia.
- Negative effect on sexual desire in men.
Warning: Do not take zinc supplements if these symptoms appear without consulting your doctor.