Zinc

Zinc is a trace mineral that plays many essential functions and is found in almost every cell of our body.  Over 300 enzymes depend on this mineral for them to work properly. Discover the health benefits of this mineral.

Table of Contents

Evidence of Benefits (Leaf Rating System)

	The Common Cold Treatment / Sore Throat Zinc gluconate lozenges are shown to shorten the duration of the cold symptoms in several clinical studies as well as helping with sore throat.
	Acne Studies show that low levels of this essential mineral can make the acne condition worst. Clinical studies support using zinc to help clear up acne problems.
	Herpes Infection / Genital Herpes Using zinc cream seems to lessen the severity and shorten the duration of genital herpes infection. The results seem to be better when this mineral is combined with a cream containing lysine.
	Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) Population studies seem to show that taking this mineral can lower the risk of getting AMD. Also, clinical studies show that taking this mineral along with vitamin C (500 mg), beta-carotene (15 mg) and vitamin E (400 IU) reduces the risk of vision loss and slows down the disease. However, not all studies reported this benefit.
	Immune System Enhancement This mineral is able to boost the immune system. It does this by pushing the thymus gland to work better in making hormones that boost the production of white blood cells.
	Enlarged Prostate (Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia / BPH) This mineral plays an important role in keeping the prostate gland healthy. Some preliminary studies suggest that taking zinc helps to reduce the symptoms of BPH.
	Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Combining this mineral with standard prescription drugs seems to help reduce the symptoms of ADHD. Some researchers found that children suffering from ADHD had a lower blood level of zinc. Experts suggest that it may be more effective in children who were initially low in this mineral, that have a high body mass index (BMI) or who are low in essential fatty acids levels.
	Gingivitis Many studies done show that using a mouthwash or toothpaste that contain this essential mineral can prevent gingivitis and stop plaque from forming on the teeth.
	Wound healing (in burn patients) A small study done in children showed that taking this mineral along with vitamin C and vitamin E helps wounds to heal faster.
	Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) Some small studies seem to show that this mineral can modestly give pain relief to those suffering from RA. The researchers suspect that those with deficiency in this mineral might benefit more than those people who have normal levels of zinc.
	Alzheimer's Disease (AD) Some studies suggest that higher levels of this mineral might slow down the progression of AD. Unfortunately, other studies seem to suggest that higher levels of this mineral may also worsen AD. Note: Until more research is done, avoid taking excessive amount and keep the dosage at the levels recommended by experts.
	Prostate Cancer Lab studies show that this mineral can slow down the growth of prostate cancer cells.
Helpful	Infertility in Men Several clinical studies seems to show that taking this essential mineral helped to increase and improve the quality of the sperm but other didn't show any effect. Experts believe that the cause of infertility might explain the differences seen in different research studies.
Helpful	Aphrodisiac / Enhancing Libido Studies show that zinc deficiency reduces blood levels of testosterone, thus possibly lower libido.
Helpful	Yeast Infections One small study showed that taking this mineral can help in fighting off yeast infections. However, another study was not able to verify this benefit.
Helpful	Hair Loss   Some small studies done to see if taking this essential mineral helped with hair loss generated conflicting results. Some studies show it helped and other showed it did not.
	Tinnitus (Ringing in the Ear) - Probably Not Effective Some experts suggest that low levels of this mineral may cause tinnitus in some people. The cochlea (nerve endings in the inner ear used for hearing) is high in zinc. However, clinical studies conducted don't seem to support this claim.
	Eczema (Atopic dermatitis) - Probably Not Effective There seems to be no difference in blood levels of this mineral in those people with or without eczema. Studies with subjects taking this mineral didn't show any improvement in their eczema condition.
	Psoriasis - Probably Not Effective Several studies show that taking this mineral as a supplement had no effect on psoriasis.
	Prevention of the Common Cold - Probably Not Effective Studies done showed that the zinc lozenges are unable to prevent you from catching the cold virus.

Suggested Benefits and Traditional Uses

• Acne
• Age-related macular degeneration (AMD)
• Alzheimer's disease (AD)
• Anorexia nervosa
• Asthma
• Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Cataracts
• Crohn's disease
• Common cold prevention and treatment
• Dementia / Memory enhancement
• Diabetes
• Eczema (atopic dermatitis)
• Enlarged prostate (Benign prostatic hyperplasia / BPH)
• Hair loss (alopecia)
• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• Genital herpes
• Immune system enhancement
• Impotence
• Infertility (male)
• Malaria prevention and treatment
• Night blindness
• Peptic ulcers
• Psoriasis
• Prostate cancer
• Osteoporosis
• Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
• Swine flu (influenza)
• Tinnitus
• Ulcerative colitis
• Wound healing
• Yeast Infections

• Anti-aging effect
• Gingivitis
• Herpes infection
• Wound healing

Facts and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is zinc?

How do I know if I have a deficiency in zinc?

What are some food sources that contain high amounts of zinc?

Side Effects, Toxicity and Warnings

What are some side effects of taking zinc?

What is some toxicity if I take too much or overdose on zinc? Can you take too much?

What about taking zinc during pregnancy? What's the safety of this mineral?

Dosage & How to Take It