Zinc deficiency is a global problem. According to WHO, about 31% of the world's population suffer from a critical lack of this mineral. Alimentary zinc deficiency provokes many problems, both cosmetic (baldness, acne, dry skin), and with the functioning of internal organs.
Daily intake of zinc and its role in the body
Life-threatening zinc deficiency is extremely rare. But the Linus Pauling Institute estimates that about 2 billion people in the world suffer from moderate zinc deficiency. This state never goes unnoticed and affects all spheres of a person's life.
Hair loss, dry skin, acne and inflammation, furunculosis, poor blood quality, eye diseases and vision problems, irritability and unmotivated aggression - this is just a short list of possible problems that immediately catch your eye when looking at such a patient.
The daily intake of zinc from food for women eighteen years of age and older is 9-10 mg. For men, this number is slightlymore - about 15 mg.
Risk factors for developing a mineral deficiency
If at least one of the following is present, then most likely the person has a serious lack of zinc:
- Chronic alcoholism: the constant abuse of ethanol-containing drinks contributes to the leaching of metabolites from the body not only of zinc, but also of calcium, magnesium, selenium.
- Diabetes due to impaired insulin resistance contributes to a decrease in the concentration of zinc in the body. In turn, diabetics should be careful when taking zinc-containing drugs, as they can depress blood sugar levels.
- Patients who have to undergo regular hemodialysis (for chronic kidney disease) may experience zinc deficiency.
- Girls who constantly follow strict diets for weight loss and are also starving are at risk of serious deficiency of many minerals (for this reason, they tend to have very sparse and dry hair on their heads).
- HIV and AIDS (as well as other diseases of the immune system) are a common cause of zinc deficiency in the body. This class of patients requires continuous zinc supplementation.
Relationship between the presence of zinc in the body and hair growth
Baldness is a real problem not only for women, but also for men. Zinc deficiency contributes to the development of malignant reactive alopecia. This diagnosisimplies a gradual baldness of the scalp due to the depletion of hair follicles. Very often it is not possible to restore their work. And, therefore, to achieve the former density of hair too.
Therefore, it is important to start taking zinc supplements as early as possible. A special analysis for the presence of zinc in the blood can be done at any paid laboratory. If the analysis shows a deficiency - do not hesitate, you need to replenish zinc reserves.
The effect of zinc on the condition of the skin of the face and body
One of the main symptoms of zinc deficiency in the body is bad skin on the face and body. Acne, a tendency to form ulcers (furunculosis), acne, various dermatitis - all this is typical for men and women of any age. after the deficiency of the mineral is eliminated with the help of special preparations, the problem will be solved by itself.
Patients whose blood was found to be deficient in zinc complain of dryness and flaking of the skin. This is also a characteristic symptom of the condition. Not even the most expensive and high-quality moisturizer will help until the root cause of skin problems is eliminated.
Painful conditions that occur with deficiency
Symptoms of zinc deficiency in the body:
- severe and prolonged hair loss that no mask can stop;
- skin problems: dryness, acne, furunculosis, dermatitis, acne;
- weak immunity: frequent coldsdiseases;
- susceptibility to various kinds of allergic reactions;
- leaky gut syndrome;
- digestion problems and some chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
Zinc is very important for the proper functioning of the immune system, in particular:
- supports the process of apoptosis, which destroys all viral and harmful cells, as well as malignant cells that can develop into neoplasms;
- participates in the transcription of the first stage of gene expression;
- plays a role in the formation of white blood cells, a certain amount of which is necessary for the body's ability to resist external infections.
Patients note that after the restoration of the reference values of the amount of the mineral in the blood, they began to get sick with viral diseases much less frequently. Chronic diseases of internal organs also began to manifest themselves weaker.
Signs of a lack of zinc in the body
How to identify a mineral deficiency at an early stage and prevent the development of serious he alth problems? Everyone should know this. Symptoms of zinc deficiency in a woman's body at an early stage are determined by the following "bells":
- appearance of chronic fatigue. This is a very common symptom. It may indicate not only a lack of zinc, but also a deficiency of other vitamins and minerals;
- increase in the amount of hair falling out when washing and combing;
- acne appearance thoughbefore they were not;
- problems with the menstrual cycle.
Signs of deficiency in men are less pronounced, and it is more difficult to recognize the problem at an early stage than in women. For prevention, you can use "Zincteral" once a year for one month. To regulate the level of zinc in the blood, it is advisable to do a laboratory blood test from time to time.
Zincteral in the fight for thick hair and beautiful skin
This drug is the best in our country for the treatment of zinc deficiency in the body of women and men. Despite the fact that "Zincteral" has many side effects, it raises the level of zinc in the blood to reference values faster than any other means.
The drug is produced in Poland. The release form is a dragee of dark crimson color with a characteristic metallic aftertaste. The optimal time of admission is in the morning, on an empty stomach. One dragee contains 15 mg of zinc sulfate. This form of the mineral is best absorbed by the body.
Due to its high mineral content, the drug often causes a number of side effects:
- severe nausea, vomiting (if such a side effect occurs, you should take the pills not on an empty stomach, but after eating);
- dizziness, weakness after taking dragees;
- in the first week of taking, a decline in vitality is possible;
- diarrhea;
- blood in feces;
- problems with urination.
Some advise drinking Zincteral with milk to get rid of side effects. This advice is inappropriate, since calcium, which infound in milk in large quantities, interferes with the absorption of zinc and is its antagonist.
Vitamin-mineral complexes that contain zinc
Signs of zinc deficiency in the body can be easily eliminated by regularly taking special vitamin and mineral complexes. Here are the best ones that contain zinc in the amount recommended for daily intake:
- "Doppelhertz Active from A to Zinc";
- "Supradin" both in the form of dragees and in the form of effervescent soluble tablets;
- "Alphabet Classic";
- "Perfectil" - especially good for those who have hair loss due to zinc deficiency.
All these complexes are effective only when taken continuously, for at least two months. If you use less, then the effect can not be expected. Vitamin-mineral complexes usually contain from 3 to 8 mg of zinc, this amount is enough to cure a moderate deficiency. If it is large, then it is better to opt for Zincteral dragee.
How to fill the lack of zinc from food
There are patients who are extremely negative about any pharmaceuticals. For these suspicious people, you can try increasing your zinc levels by adjusting your diet by adding the following foods;
- beef - 100 grams of this meat has 5.2 mg of zinc (which is equivalent to 32% of a person's daily requirementweighing approximately 60 kg);
- cashew nuts contain about 4mg of zinc per 100g;
- boiled chicken fillet contains about 1.9 mg of zinc per 100 g;
- 100 g of spinach has about 1 mg of zinc;
- one cup of boiled chickpeas contains 2.5 mg of zinc;
- 100 g of boiled mushrooms contain 1.2 mg of zinc.
It is worth remembering that when ingested with calcium, zinc is not absorbed. So you should not drink these products with milk, kefir, fermented baked milk and other drinks with a high content of calcium.
