Zinc combat infection- the built in covid warrior

 Zinc combat infection and is very essential  for regulating  the immune system, metabolism function and also  important in wound healing. Zinc plays  a vital role to regulate growth, reproduction and  combat infection, the built in covid warrior.

Zinc is  a mineral and is called as essential trace element, because very small amounts of zinc  are necessary for human  health. Zinc is very essential  for regulating  the immune system, metabolism function and also  important in wound healing. Zinc plays  a vital role to regulate growth, reproduction and  combat infection.  Zinc is  considered as an essential nutrient,  meaning that  our body can’t produce or store it. For this reason we must get it through food or supplements and one must get a constant  supply through our diet.

Functions of  Zinc

Zinc is required for numerous processes in our body, including gene expression, enzymatic reactions, immune function, protein synthesis, DNA synthesis, wound healing, growth and development of our organs. Zinc is the second most abundant  trace mineral in our body, after iron and is present in every cell.

• Zinc is very essential for the activation of over 300 enzymes that aid in metabolism, digestion, nerve function and many other biological processes in our body.
• Zinc is very critical for the development and function of immune cells.  Zinc helps to  keep our immune system strong and  very essential for  cell signaling  and immune cell function. The deficiency  of  zinc can lead to a  weakened  immune response. Zinc supplements stimulates immune cells, reduce oxidative stress and  reduces the risk of infections.
• The  mineral zinc is also  fundamental  to skin health, DNA synthesis  and in protein
• Zinc plays a vital role in cell division and  Therefore  the body growth and development  relies on zinc.
• Zinc is essential for our senses of taste and smell. Since one of the enzymes  crucial for proper taste and  smell is dependent on this  nutrient, a zinc deficiency can reduce our  ability to taste or smell.
• Zinc is an essential mineral which accelerates wound Zinc is commonly  used  in hospitals as a treatment  for burns, certain ulcers and skin injuries. Zinc plays a vital role in collagen synthesis and hence in wound  healing.
• Zinc may relieve oxidative stress and improve body  immune response by boosting  the activity  of T-Cells  and natural  killer cells, which help protect our body from infection.

Zinc  requirement

The recommended daily amount of zinc is 8 milligrams (mg) for women and 11 mg for adult men. However during  lactation and pregnancy women  may need  11 mg per day. Zinc  is possibly safe when taken  by mouth  in doses not greater than 40 mg per day.  There is some concern that  taking  more than  40 mg  per day, might decrease copper  absorption and may cause anemia. Zinc helps  to produce  key sex harmones,  such as testosterone and prolactin. There is  evidence  that  dietary zinc  may impact  male sexual competency.

Too  much of  zinc can  cause nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite stomach  cramps,  diarrhoea and headache. Zinc  should  not  be  taken  with  immunosuppressant medications like  corticosteroids  and cyclosporine. Zinc also has direct  antiviral activity and  stimulates antiviral  activity. Zinc can be  safely  taken along with vitamin D. Now a days a lot of immune  booster drugs  are coming to the market with the combination of vitamin C, Vitamin D3 and Zinc. Please consult with your family physician, before taking these medications. Covid-19  behaves  aggressively in  immune compromised patients  and zinc  contributes substantially to  our body immunity and  strengthen immunity to combat  covid-19. Therefore zinc is termed as  built in ‘covid  warrior’ of our body.

 Zinc  availability

There are various forms of zinc which impact health in distinct ways.

• Zinc gluconate : Most commonly used over the counter forms of zinc, often used in cold remedies such as lozenges and nasal sprays.
• Zinc acetate : Also  added to cold lozenges to reduce  symptoms and  speed  rate of
• Zinc sulphate: commonly used to enhance the  immunity, available in tablet
• Zinc is also available  as zinc citrate and zinc picolinate as tablets.

Zinc is thus available in capsule, tablet and lozenge forms, there are plenty of  options to set our  daily dose of  zinc regardless of the type one desires.

Uses

• To improve the immune function of body.
• To promote blood sugar control and  insulin secretion.
• Zinc supplements are often used to promote skin health and treat common  skin  conditions like acne.
• Zinc improves the heart function by lowering tryglecerides and cholesterol levels.
• Zinc helps  to slow the  macular  degeneration  and help protect  against  vision  loss and  blindness especially  in aged people.
• Zinc helps to reduce to duration  of cold symptoms and has got mild antiviral property also.

Last Word

Zinc is a mineral essential to many aspects of general health. Supplementing with  20-40 mg of elemental zinc  daily may improve immunity, blood sugar levels and eye,  heart and skin health. One should not take more than 40 mg of elemental zinc per day. The known side effects of zinc supplements include digestive issues like vomiting , nausea, flu like symptoms, headache and reduced copper absorption leading  to anemia. Also  zinc  when  taken  with  antibiotics  may  reduce  the effectiveness of the latter. If one wants to  increase  the zinc level of body, should  take food  which are  rich in this mineral, such as  nuts, seeds, legumes, meat, seafood and dairy products.

Shellfish, beef, lamb and pork meat also has high levels of zinc. Red meat is the great source of zinc. Oyster and  crab also has great amount of zinc.  Legumes  like  chickpeas, lentils  and beans  all contain substantial  amounts of zinc. Some seeds live hemp, pumpkin, squash and  seasame seeds contain significant amount  of zinc. Nuts like peanuts, cashew and almonds also has good amount of zinc. Now during this crisis of covid-19 pandemic, zinc is the real boon to all of us and doctors wisely termed this essential mineral as built in ‘covid warrior’ of our human body.

Dr.Muralee Mohan Choonthar
Suraksha Dental Clinic, Hosangadi
Manjeshwara – 671323 ,Kasaragoad, Kerala.
Mob. : 98451357787 Ph: 04998-273544, 235111
www.surakshadental.com
email: drmuraleemohan@gmail.com