Zinc deficiency

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Liping Huang, a geneticist at the ARS Western Human Nutrition Research Center at Davis, California, notes that "mild zinc deficiency may exist in the United States among otherwise healthy infants, toddlers, preschool children, pregnant and lac-tating women, and seniors." Vegetarians who avoid meat and dairy are also at risk for mild zinc deficiencies. Not Just a Man's Mineral Zinc has something of a reputation in the men's health magazines as a "guy's" nutrient, largely because it is critical for the production of both sperm and the male hormone testosterone.

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ZINC AND HIV Individuals with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are particularly susceptible to zinc deficiency. Lowered blood levels of zinc have been correlated with increased death rates in HIV patients. Zinc supplementation can reduce opportunistic infection in those with HIV. However, the HIV virus also needs zinc. Zinc supplements may in fact backfire to decrease survival time and stimulate the virus. Helping the immune system get adequate zinc without helping the HIV will require further research.

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Cell-Protective Effects: Zinc exerts a protective effect in maintaining the integrity of both cellular and organelle membranes. zinc deficiency can cause increased membrane peroxidation and subsequent membrane damage and abnormalities of cellular transport with decreased enzyme activity (Gupta & Choubey, 1987). Copper-Absorbing Effects: Zinc inhibits copper absorption and induces a negative copper balance, which is the primary goal in the treatment of Wilson's disease (Hoogenraad & Van Hattum, 1988).

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We wrote a paper that was presented at the American College of Nutrition in 1986 and published in Nutrients and Brain Function in 1987, demonstrating that in fact patients who have zinc deficiency are unable to taste the zinc solution. So we provided relatively strong evidence, based on double blind placebo controlled studies, that this simple noninvasive procedure could be very effective." Dr. Schauss's research findings were confirmed by the National Institutes of Health-funded studies at the University of Kentucky Medical Center and several California universities.

If people can't taste the solution, it's evidence of systemic zinc deficiency. This has to do with a zinc-dependent polypeptide known as gustine, which helps us to distinguish metallic taste, and zinc has a strong metallic taste. She couldn't taste anything. It tasted like water to her. She thought it was a placebo. She was given about 120 milliliters of this solution spaced out throughout the day at about 30, 40 milliliters each time, on an empty stomach. Four days later, she called to say she couldn't explain it, but she had no desire to binge or purge that day.

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Male infertility may be caused by a decreased sperm count due to zinc deficiency, and zinc supplementation may increase sperm count and motility, particularly in men with low testosterone. zinc deficiency may be a contributing factor in the high rate of prostate enlargement in this country. It is estimated that 50 to 60 percent of the men between the ages of 40 and 59 have prostate enlargement. Zinc supplementation has been shown to reduce the size of the prostate in the majority of the patients. The importance of zinc in normal skin function is well known.

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This is useful for evaluating cardiac influences, anti-inflammatory processes, anemia, immunological function, glucose tolerance, and other disorders that are associated specifically with zinc deficiency. Whole blood analysis measures total levels of elements that circulate in both extracellular fluids (serum/plasma) and in cells (red blood cells and lymphocytes). Some elements are measured in serum because they are transported by serum proteins, or have important extracellular functions in blood.

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But it may also signal a zinc deficiency. (Zinc, in fact, is sometimes used to help restore the SIGNIFICANT FACT In general, women have a keener sense of smell than men; it's most acute around sense of smell.) Loss of smell from these causes tends to develop gradually and is usually temporary. Once the cause is treated, the abil- ovulation, ity to smell usually returns. A sudden loss of smell in people over the age of 60 often signals an up per respiratory tract infection. But sudden loss of smell is also a fairly com mon sign of head trauma, especially in younger people.

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In fact, acne itself may be a symptom of zinc deficiency. Zinc acts by controlling the production of oil in the skin, and may also help control some of the hormones that create acne. Zinc is also required for proper immune system function, as well as for the maintenance of vision, taste, and smell. Zinc consumption is also strongly linked to a reduction of prostate cancer. Foods rich in zinc include fresh oysters, pumpkin seeds, ginger, pecans, Brazil nuts, oats, and eggs. Zinc can be purchased in supplement form, in both liquid concentrates and tablets.

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Topical zinc, such as calamine lotion, also inhibits bacteria growth on the surface of skin, helping to prevent infection. As zinc deficiency is common in the United States, most doctors recommend 30 mg/day, taken orally for four to six weeks, to bring your levels up to par before surgery. If you undergo surgery in a zinc deficient state, your recovery time will be lengthened, so be sure to test and supplement your zinc levels, if necessary, well before any planned surgical procedures.

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RBC survival, zinc deficiency, and efficacy of zinc therapy in sickle cell disease. Birth Defects; 23(5A):477-483. 1987 Haeger K, Lanner E & Magnusson PO. Oral zinc sulfate in the treatement of venous leg ulcers, in Pories WJ, Strain WH, Hwu JM et al (eds): Clinical applications of zinc metabolism. CC Thomas, Springfield, IL:158-167. 1974 Harrap GJ, Best JS & Saxton CA. Human oral retention of zinc from mouthwashes containing zinc salts and its relevance to dental plaque control. Arch Oral Biol; 29(2):87-91. 1984 Henderson LM, Brewer GJ, Dressman JB et al.

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Less than optimal zinc levels not only reduce conception rates, but babies have lower birth weights, more birth defects, and can have a less developed brain and nervous system.31 zinc deficiency is especially important for sperm development. Zinc 30 mg per day L-Arginine. L-arginine is an amino acid necessary for the synthesis of protein and is found naturally in numerous animal protein foods. Arginine supplementation of 16 grams per day has been shown to improve uterine blood flow and fertilization rates in women who had previously failed in vitro fertilization.

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Severe zinc deficiency has been linked to intrauterine growth retardation and teratogenesis; mild to moderate deficiency has been associated with congenital malformations, LBW, and preterm delivery [37].

Dietary zinc deficiency alters 5 alpha-reduction and aromatization of testosterone and androgen and estrogen receptors in rat liver. J. Nutr. 126, 842-848. 163. Colvard, D. S., and Wilson, E. M. (1984). Zinc potentiation of androgen receptor binding to nuclei in vitro. Biochemistry (Mosc.) 23, 3471-3478. 164. Vermeulen, A., Kaufman, J. M., and Giagulli, V. A. (1996). Influence of some biological indexes on sex hormone-binding globulin and androgen levels in aging or obese males. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 81, 1821-1826. 165. Wu, A. H., Whittemore, A. S., Kolonel, L. N., John, E. M.

Zinc is also involved in immune responses [176, 177]. Both zinc deficiency and excesses impair immunity [177]. Zinc depletion may also trigger apoptosis of RPE cells or increase the vulnerability of RPE cells to photic injury [178]. However, zinc supplementation can also enhance stress-induced effects in RPE cells [179]. The longer-term benefit of zinc on risk for AMD is not clear from observational studies.

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If you've changed your eating habits or have been on a crash diet and you're losing your hair as well as weight, it may be a tip-off that you have a nutritional problem such as an iron, protein, or zinc deficiency. Hair loss SIGN OF THE TIMES may also be a telltale sign that you eat lots of raw eggs—eating too many raw egg whites, or foods containing raw egg whites such as mayonnaise, mousse, steak tartare, or Caesar salad dressing, can lead to a rare condition called biotin deficiency (aka egg-white injury syndrome).

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Although it usually occurs by itself, cradle cap can accompany other medical conditions, such as zinc deficiency, vitamin B deficiency, or any illness that lowers the number or function of the cells that fight infection. Non-medicated shampoo: Cradle cap usually resolves itself within one to eight months. The first choice for treatment is a mild, non-medicated shampoo for scale removal. Tar-based or anti-seborrheic shampoos should not be used on infants as they are too harsh. Using GENTLE friction on the skin to remove the oily scales is essential.

NATUROPATHY Diet: Eat plenty of foods that contain zinc, as zinc deficiency is associated with tinnitus and certain kinds of hearing loss. Good sources ff?S| °f z'nc include spinach (the best), papaya, collards, Brussel sprouts, ¦J^JjJr cucumbers, siring beans, endive, cowpeas, prunes, and asparagus. It is difficult to get the recommended daily amount of zinc (60 mg) from diet alone, but make a point of taking more zinc from your food while trying other herbal treatments for tinnitus. You can also take a 60-120 mg zinc supplement a day.

They also often occur in response to chemotherapy drugs. zinc deficiency can cause these lines and can be treated with daily supplementation. If nails appear yellow: Discoloration of the nails (or yellow nail syndrome) occurs in response to some respiratory diseases. Treatment of the disease is needed to reverse the condition, but sometimes spontaneous healing occurs. Mixed tocopherols are the active ingredient in vitamin E. Taking vitamin E as natural mixed tocopherols, rather than just alpha tocopherols, in amounts of about 1,000 IU a day may help.

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The zinc deficiency associated with sickle cell anemia appears to play a role in various aspects of the illness. For example, preliminary research has correlated low zinc levels with poor growth in children with sickle cell anemia.48 In a preliminary trial, 12 people with sickle cell anemia received 25 mg of zinc every four hours for 3 to 18 months.49 The number of damaged red blood cells fell from 28% to 18.6%. Addition of 2 mg of copper per day did not inhibit the effect of zinc. (Zinc supplementation in the absence of copper supplementation induces a copper deficiency.

Laboratory animals with severe, experimentally induced zinc (page 614) deficiency developed hypothyroidism, whereas moderate zinc deficiency did not affect thyroid function.12 In a small study of healthy people, thyroid hormone (thyroxine) levels tended to be lowet in those with lower blood levels of zinc. In people with low zinc, supplementing with zinc increased thyroxine levels.

Zinc Exercise increases zinc (page 614) losses from the human body, and severe zinc deficiency can compromise muscle function.203,204 Athletes who do not eat an optimal diet, especially those who are trying to control theit weight ot use fad diets while exercising strenuously, may become deficient in zinc to the extent that performance or health is compromised.205' 206 One double-blind trial in women found that 135 mg pet day of zinc for two weeks improved one measure of muscle strength.207 Whether these women were zinc deficient was not determined in this study.

Some suggest that zinc might only help those who are zinc-deficient,71 and, although there is no universally accepted test for zinc deficiency, some doctors check white-blood-cell zinc levels. People with RA have been found to have lower selenium (page 584) levels than healthy people.72'73 One74 of two double-blind trials using at least 200 meg of selenium per day for three to six months found that selenium supplementation led to a significant reduction in pain and joint inflammation in RA patients, but the other reported no beneficial effect.

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A zinc deficiency is probably present if the subject finds a zinc sulfate solution, which normally should taste bitter, to have little or no taste at all. Copper is needed for the formation of hemoglobin. The body contains about 125 mg. On the average, we ingest 3 to 5 mg, but we need only about 2 mg, so there is some accumulation. Dr Pfeiffer found no cases of deficiency in 20,000 patients examined. However, many vitamin and mineral preparations contain copper because of the widespread belief that copper deficiency is a serious problem.

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Phytate, a substance found in unleavened bread (pita, matzos, and some crackers) significantly reduces absorption of zinc, increasing the chance of zinc deficiency. However, phytate-induced deficiency of zinc appears to be a significant problem only for people already consuming marginally low amounts of zinc. Even in developed countries, low-income pregnant (page 363) women and pregnant teenagers are at risk for marginal zinc deficiencies. Supplementing with 25—30 mg per day improves pregnancy outcome in these groups.

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Dr Pfeiffer listed seven conditions where copper excess and zinc deficiency would occur: (1) during pregnancy, when growth and development require zinc; (2) during the first year when the newborn has excess copper and needs zinc to balance it; (3) during rapid growth; (4) from the 12th year when the maturing child needs zinc for normal pubertal growth; (5) during female adolescence (if zinc is low, premenstrual tension is common); (6) ages 15 to 20 for stress in general; (7) with stress in adults caused by illness, such as cancer, wounds, burns, hypertension, and in senile patients.

Zinc deficiency is characterized by skin changes (dermatitis), impaired taste, infertility, inflammatory acne, poor wound healing, reduced sense of smell, weakened immune function, and white spots on the nails. Folic Acid Deficiency Deficiency of folic acid is one of the most common vitamin deficiency disorders, characterized by anemia, birth defects, depression, fatigue, hostility, impaired cell growth within the digestive tract, impaired fetal growth and development, paranoid behavior, shortness of breath, and weakness.

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Marginal zinc deficiency may be a contributing factor in some cases of anemia. In a srudy of women with normocytic anemia (i.e., their red blood cells were of normal size) and low total iron-binding capacity (a blood test often used to assess the cause of anemia), combined iron (page 540) and zinc supplementation significantly improved the anemia, whereas iron or zinc supplemented alone had only slight effects.33 Supplementation with zinc, or zinc and iron together, has been found to improve vitamin A (page 595) status among children at high risk for deficiency of the three nutrients.

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In a study 9 of 13 subjects with low free T3 and normal T4 had mild to moderate zinc deficiency. After oral supplementation with zinc sulfate (4-10 mg/kg body weight for 12 months), levels of serum fT3 and T3 normalized, serum rT3 decreased, and the TRH-induced TSH reaction normalized.117 This study suggests zinc status influences peripheral metabolism of thyroid hormones. Since zinc is not a cofactor in hepatic type I-deiodinase enzyme, the nature of zinc's influence on aspects of peripheral metabolism in animals and humans remains unclear.

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Furthermore, when male animals go through puberty with zinc deficiency, testosterone expression is depressed and a significant increase in feminizing characteristics takes the place of the proper male traits.515 Tribulus Terristrus is an herb that has been used for centuries in India to treat male sexual problems. Animal and human studies show that it raises luteinizing hormone in the brain that in turn stimulates testosterone production in the testes. It increases sexual stamina, sex drive, helps get rid of impotence, and increases ejaculatory volume, sperm concentration, and sperm mobility.

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