What is zinc?
Regarding the question of what Zinc is, we also mention that it is an essential and very important microelement for the health of the body, as it enters into many vital functions, zinc helps in the work of more than 300 enzymes, and also has many benefits for the body.
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The body needs very small amounts of the mineral zinc, and zinc is present in all cells of the body, but large amounts of it are concentrated in the bones, liver, pancreas, kidneys, muscles, and eyes.
What is the importance of the element zinc for the body?
Zinc is important for good health, so one of the benefits of zinc for the body:
It enters into the chemical composition of more than 300 different types of necessary enzymes that control various metabolic processes.
Maintains the immune system.
It helps in the growth of damaged cells and tissues and works on their restoration.
Zinc plays an essential role in bone formation and health and can help prevent osteoporosis.
It is necessary for male sexual health, the reasons for this can include the action of zinc as an antioxidant and its contribution to maintaining normal hormonal levels.
Maintain nerve health and relieve neurological symptoms, including tingling, numbness, and peripheral neuropathy.
In maintaining eye health, one of the possible benefits of zinc is its contribution to delaying the occurrence of macular degeneration and age-related vision loss.
How much zinc is needed per day?
The daily needs of the body of the element zinc vary from person to person, and are as follows:
Infants 0 - 6 Months: 2 mg.
Infants 7 - 12 months: 3 mg.
Children 1 - 3 years: 3 mg.
Children 4 - 8 years: 5 mg.
Children 9 - 13 years: 8 mg.
Male adolescents (14 - 18 years): 11 mg.
Female adolescents (14 - 18 years): 9 mg.
Adult men: 11 mg.
Adult women: 8 mg.
Pregnant woman: 12 mg in case she is younger than 18 years, and 11 mg in case she is older than 18 years.
Breastfeeding woman: 13 mg in case she is younger than 18 years, 12 mg in case she is older than 18 years
How much zinc is needed per day?
The body gets enough of the daily requirement of zinc mainly from food, as the body cannot produce or store the element zinc, so it must be provided permanently from food daily.
If the individual is unable to provide his daily needs of zinc through food, then he should try one of the dietary supplements that contain it to prevent a deficiency in zinc levels in his body.
What are zinc's natural sources?
Vitamin zinc is naturally available in the following sources:
Meat, especially red meat, includes beef and lamb, which are considered excellent sources of zinc. Eating 100 grams of meat a day gives the body 4.8 mg of zinc, which is approximately 44% of the daily zinc requirement.
Seafood, such as oysters, prawns, shrimps, and mussels, are low-calorie sources and rich in zinc.
Legumes are one of the best plant sources rich in zinc, including lentils, chickpeas, and beans.
Seeds, such as flax seeds, hemp, pumpkin, and sesame.
Nuts, such as cashews, pine nuts, and almonds.
Eggs, as eating one egg a day cover 5% of the body's need for zinc.
Dairy and cheeses, including cheddar cheese.
Black chocolate, as 100 grams of it contains 30% of the daily requirement of zinc.
Fruits and vegetables, but are considered a poor source of zinc, but there are some types with a larger stock than others that can benefit people who do not eat meat, such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, curly cabbage, and mushrooms.
What diseases are associated with the element zinc?
There are a number of health problems that are associated with zinc levels in the blood, so it is advisable to have a zinc test to detect the presence of any disorders in its levels.
Among the diseases associated with zinc metal are:
Zinc deficiency
Due to the benefits of zinc, its great importance, and its connection with growth and sexual development, zinc deficiency causes a number of imbalances and negative effects on health in the body.
An individual with a zinc deficiency leads to the appearance of the following symptoms in him:
Loss of sense of smell and taste.
Slow wound healing.
Diarrhea.
appetite loss and weight loss
Hair loss and skin ulcers.
delayed growth, especially in children's physical and mental development.
Immunodeficiency and increased risk of infectious diseases.
Influence on vision.
Influence on fertility.
The most susceptible people to zinc deficiency are:
Babies who are dependent on breastfeeding.
Older people.
Pregnant women, where the importance of zinc for the pregnant woman is due to giving zinc from her personal stock to the fetus during pregnancy in order for it to develop.
Alcoholics are addicted.
Individuals with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, such as Crohn's disease.
Kidney patients.
Vegetarian people.
Zinc deficiency is not an urgent health condition, but you should see a doctor in the following cases: pregnant or lactating, feeling previous symptoms of zinc deficiency, and if severe diarrhea persists for several days.
Increased zinc
It is possible that some people use zinc supplements or zinc pills without consulting a doctor, which can cause the zinc level in the body to rise more than it should, so it should always be taken care that the zinc dose does not exceed 40 mg/day for adults.
The following are some of the symptoms of high zinc content in the body:
Headaches.
Nausea and vomiting.
Pain in the stomach.
Diarrhea.
Loss of appetite.
A decrease in good cholesterol.
A decrease in the copper element.
Increased risk of infectious diseases.
Problems with the urinary and reproductive systems.
If it is believed that an individual has zinc poisoning, then he should see a doctor immediately, as high zinc in the body is considered dangerous.
Milk in this case can be drunk until the arrival of medical personnel since the calcium and phosphorus contained in milk help to reduce the absorption of zinc by the body.
It should be emphasized that no instance of zinc poisoning from natural food sources has been reported, but attention should be paid that the individual does not exceed the acceptable amount of zinc per day.