Zinc deficiency

Three years ago, while in school at the Hypnotherapy Academy of America, I suddenly lost my sense of taste and smell. The entire school was stricken with a virus that sent several of my classmates to local emergency rooms and had the rest of the school hacking and sniffling. At first I thought I'd just come down with the same nasty virus as the rest of the class, but while the rest of the class got over the illness, I continued coughing. I didn't feel sick, I just coughed and couldn't smell or taste anything.

I took over-the-counter allergy cold meds and eventually saw the doctor after I graduated and returned home. I was prescribed allergy medications but nothing cleared up the coughing or stuffy nose. I figured the loss of smell and taste was the result of the congestion.

Fast forward three years. I still couldn't breathe through my nose despite netti pots, over-the-counter medicines, and prescribed steroid nose sprays; nothing worked. AND I still couldn't smell or taste properly. I was frustrated beyond belief.

The coughing finally cleared up leaving behind the eternal stuffy nose. Congestion really wasn't the problem; my nasal passages were almost completely swollen shut most of the time so I couldn't breathe. Taste and smell were long gone, too.

Then I came across a health article that stated that loss of taste was caused by a severe zinc deficiency. It also stated that it would take at least six months for the body to recover from the deficiency. So I began taking zinc supplements. I was amazed to find that my stuffy nose cleared up for a few hours after taking the supplement.

It's been 3 months since I began my zinc supplementation. I'm slowly regaining my sense of smell and taste. I can breathe normally for several hours at a time now before my nasal passages begin swelling closed again.

Since reading that initial article I've read many more detailing the importance of zinc. Zinc deficiency is implicated in acne, macular degeneration, anorexia, cancer, smell and taste irregularities, hair loss, tinnitus, memory and learning problems, menstrual cramping (which I wrote about a few days ago), diarrhea, malarial susceptibility, colds and flu, difficult and prolonged labor, hemorrhage, uterine dystocia and placental abruption, low sodium/low zinc levels increase hunger and high sodium/low zinc levels decrease hunger. The list continues on and on.

Zinc Deficiences A Global Concern

Wikipedia states, "One-third of the world population is at risk of zinc deficiency, ranging from 4 to 73% depending on the country. Zinc deficiency is the fifth leading risk factor for disease in the developing world. Providing micronutrients, including zinc, to humans is one of the four quick-win solutions to major global problems identified in the Copenhagen Consensus from an international panel of distinguished economists.

Conservative estimates suggest that 25% of the world's population is at risk of zinc deficiency."

The Multiple Sclerosis Research Center has this to say: "Zinc is an essential trace element. It is one of the most important of the trace elements needed by the body. Of the many hundreds of protein enzymes present in the body, which allow its chemistry to work, zinc is required by over two hundred of them. It can thus be seen how a deficiency of zinc can affect so many different functions.

Zinc is also important in the production of prostaglandins (PGs). PGs are vital to numerous body functions including, for example: the function of the immune system; the expression and control of inflammation; skin and wound healing; function of the heart and cardiovascular system; absorption of various minerals; body temperature control and the important functions of fertility, conception, and delivery of the infant.

The way in which zinc influences PG production is by potentiating (or supporting the function of) the enzymes which permit the conversion of the polyunsaturated fatty acids into PGs. Zinc thus has a very direct action in stimulating the normal production of PGs thereby maintaining or restoring normal health and fitness.

Zinc deficiency can result in many symptoms, including: loss of appetite, growth retardation, diarrhoea, tremor, hair loss, dandruff, a dry skin rash, white lines on fingernails, increased allergic sensitivity, disturbance of menstrual periods, pre-menstrual syndrome, delay of wound healing, loss of taste or smell sensation, dyslexia, poor night vision, photophobia (sensitivity to light), depression, sleep disturbance, hyperactivity, reduced fertility, loss of sex drive, pre-eclampsia (toxaemia) of pregnancy and post-natal depression.

It has been observed that those suffering with any of the auto-immune diseases (such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis or psoriasis); atopic problems (allergy, eczema, asthma or migraine); or many of the inflammatory diseases (such as osteo-arthritis, ME or irritable bowel syndrome), have a consistent, and often severe, zinc deficiency, which is greatly benefited by a programme of zinc replacement therapy."

Zinc deficiency is linked to esophageal cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, breast, and head and neck cancers.

There are also concerns that too much zinc can CAUSE problems. Some sources suggest that women should take 8 mg per day and men 11 mg per day. Other sources suggest 150 mg per day for severe deficiency, 100 mg per day for moderate deficiency, and 50 mg per day for mild deficiency.

A concern when taking large amounts of zinc is that zinc can bind copper and iron. Taking a low dose supplement of copper is recommended.

Food Sources of Zinc:

Black-eyed peas, cooked; Brazil nuts(also a good source of selenium, eat 3 per day); Brewer’s yeast; Cashews; Cheddar cheese; Chicken; Chick-peas, cooked; Dulse; Eggs; Fish; Kelp; Lamb; Legumes; Lentils, cooked; Lima beans; Liver; Meats; Mushrooms; Oats, rolled; Organ meats; Oysters; Peanuts, roasted; Pecans; Peas, cooked; Poultry; Pumpkin seeds; Sardines; Seafood; Soy lecithin; Soybeans, cooked; Sunflower seeds; Swiss cheese; Tofu; Torula yeast; Turkey; Wheat germ & bran; Whole grains.

Herb Sources of Zinc:

Alfalfa; Burdock root; Cayenne; Chamomile; Chickweed; Dandelion; Eyebright; Fennel seed; Hops; Milk thistle; Mullein; Nettle; Parsley; Rose hips; Sage; Sarsaparilla; Skullcap; Wild yam.

Also see the Health Professional Fact Sheet on Zinc