Zinc – Health Benefits

Zinc plays an important role in your immune system. Best sources of Zinc from the food pyramid include salmon, chicken, lamb, pork and beef. If you are a vegetarian you will probably get less Zinc. Make sure to get enough Zinc from other parts of the food pyramid or through Zinc supplements, especially during winter season to avoid colds.

Zinc against Bad Breath

If you suffer from bad breath, your body might not have enough Zinc in its system. If this is the case, bad breath usually appears. Many mouthwashes and other halitosis remedies contain Zinc to help against bad breath. If you suffer from bad breath due to Zinc deficiency you should make sure that you get adequate levels of Zinc in the diet

Zinc is found in many Skin Lotions

Another well known fact with Zinc is its wound healing properties as well as cell growth and reproduction. Zinc is involved in protein synthesis and collagen formation in your body. In other words, Zinc helps maintaining a healthy skin and normalizes production of skin oils. This is why Zinc can be found in so many skin lotions.

Zinc regulates 200 hormones!

Zinc has even more beneficial properties for the skin. It has been found that acne is tightly linked to zinc deficiency, according to recent studies. This has to do with the fact that zinc regulates about 200 hormones in your body. One of the hormones is called testosterone and is one of the main promoters of acne. This is why Zinc can help preventing hormone imbalance that may lead to Acne.

Zinc effective against Acne

Zinc regulates the hormone testosterone that can cause acne. Furthermore, Zinc can be as effective as antibiotic such as tetracycline for treating and preventing Acne. Zinc can help reduce inflammation and negative effect of hormones on your skin. If you have acne, it’s perhaps a good idea to take Zinc supplement, especially if you have a Zinc deficiency and want your acne to disappear faster.

Zinc Deficiency

If you have acne or suffer from bad breath you should check if you suffer from Zinc deficiency. The fact is that only about 30-40% of your Zinc intake actually gets absorbed. Staple foods like cereals, corn and rice have a strong negative effect on Zinc absorption. Furthermore, Iron supplements can also cause a negative effect on Zinc absorption. Cadmium, which is increasing in the environment, also inhibits Zinc absorption.

Zinc deficiency symptoms include hair loss, slow wound healing, skin problems, bad breath, white coating on tongue, recurrent colds and flu, poor night vision, poor concentration and memory.

Zinc Supplements for Acne

If you suffer from Zinc deficiency you might need to take Zinc supplements. There are different forms of Zinc supplements for acne.

• Chelated Zinc for acne is said to be very effective due to its great Zinc absorption ability. Chelating Zinc is combined with amino acid for better Zinc absorption. It is more expensive than other Zinc forms but more effective.
• Zinc Gluconate for acne is another Zinc supplement to take orally.
• Zinc Oxide for acne is used for topical application on the affected areas.

Food sources rich in Zinc

If you suffer from Zinc deficiency, bad breath or Acne, or need to strengthen your immune system, you should eat foods from the food pyramid that contain a lot of Zinc. Examples of food sources rich in Zinc are:

• whole grains
• dairy products
• nuts
• pumpkin seeds
• beans
• lentils
• sea foods
• poultry
  
• kidney