20 Health Benefits Of Zinc

 

Zinc is an essential mineral that is required by people on a regular basis to maintain their health. Although the body does not require zinc in large quantities, if the required amount of zinc cannot be met, it results in a number of serious and unpleasant side effects. These side effects include hair loss, loss of your sense of taste or smell and poor rate of healing for wounds.
Zinc is also involved in the production of no less than 300 enzymes and helps in the proper functioning of hundreds of body processes, from producing DNA to repairing cells. This beneficial mineral can even help us sleep better at night, which provides a host of additional benefits like better energy levels in the morning and acceleration of the weight loss process.
Zinc also has other important functions like promoting immune function to fight illness, as well as supporting healthy cell growth and development. Zinc is also necessary especially for men because of its function in maintaining prostate health, testosterone levels and sexual health in general. Some of the good sources from which you can easily acquire your daily dose of zinc are red meat, legumes, dairy products, chicken, seafood and nuts. Let us look at the 20 health benefits of zinc.

Cell Division
 Zinc is very important during pregnancy, for the growing fetus whose cells are rapidly dividing. Incorporating zinc into your regular diet will ensure that the growth of the fetus goes smoothly without any glitches in the division of cells.

Immune System
 Zinc has shown the strongest effect on our immune system and has proven to be vital to it. Zinc plays a distinctive role in the T-cells. This is so because low zinc levels lead to reduced and weakened T-cells. This results in the inability and incompetence to recognize and fight off certain infections.

Healthy Pregnancy
 Zinc also plays a crucial role in avoiding congenital abnormalities and pre-term delivery during pregnancies, which makes it of the utmost importance to have a diet sufficient in the sources of zinc.


Developing Body
Zinc is very important in activating growth which includes height, weight and bone development in infants, children and teenagers.


Menstrual Cycle
 Zinc plays an important role for women by helping in the treatment of menstrual problems and alleviating the symptoms associated with premenstrual syndrome (PMS).


Prostate Protection
 In the case of males, adequate supplies of zinc helps in the protection of the prostate gland from infection, which is known as prostates, and ultimately from enlargement which is called prostatic hypertrophy.


Maintain Fertility
 Zinc helps in ensuring and maintaining fertility in the case of men by ensuring a healthy sperm count. Adequate amount of zinc in the body also ensures mobility of sperm, as well as normal levels of serum testosterone.

Body Infections
A hike in the zinc levels in the body has proven to be effective in fighting pneumonia, diarrhea and other infections. Zinc can also help in reducing the duration and severity of a common cold.


Affects Taste
 Appetite and taste preferences of the body are influenced by zinc. This is so due to the level of zinc in plasma and zinc's effect on other nutrients, like copper and manganese. Zinc can also be effectively used in the treatment of anorexia.


Affects Smell
Deficiency in zinc will adversely affect our ability to process different smells. This is so because zinc activates areas of the brain that receive and process information smell sensors.

Healing Wounds
Zinc helps in the acceleration of the rate of renewal of the skin cells. Zinc creams have proven to be extremely beneficial for babies to soothe diaper rash and to heal cuts and wounds.


Treating Acne
Zinc has also proven to be extremely effective in treating acne. This is a problem that affects adolescents and in some cases, adults.

Skin Benefits
Zinc also has the added health benefit of being beneficial to skin. Regular consumption of zinc is said to have a positive effect on psoriasis and neurodermitis.

Hair fall
 If you do not consume adequate levels of zinc as part of your regular diet, your hair becomes dull and lacks luster. In cases of proper zinc deficiency, you will experience severe hair fall.

Skin Inflammation
 It has been proven that zinc can also be used as an anti-inflammatory agent. It can help soothe the skin tissue.

Loss of Vision
 There are high concentrations of zinc in the retina which decline with age. This is known to play a role in the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which leads to partial or complete loss of vision.

Grey Hair
 Adequate supplies of zinc can maintain the colour of your hair. If you suffer from zinc deficiency, you will probably undergo premature graying.
Skin Ailments
 Skin creams containing zinc particularly useful in cases of poison ivy, sunburn, blisters and certain gum diseases to soothe the affected area of the skin.

Dandruff
 It has been proven that if there is zinc present in the shampoos, it might help in the control and prevention of dandruff.

Healthy Vision Since there is copious amounts of zinc present in the retina, zinc also helps in protecting individuals from night blindness and prevents the development of cataracts.

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