When it comes to boosting immunity, you need all types of vitamins and minerals. The deficiency of any nutrient will have a direct impact on your immunity. This is why experts suggest that you should focus on your diet.
There are some nutrients that your body can produce on its own, but some are out there that you must get from your diet, and zinc is one of them. When it comes to low immunity and other symptoms like weakness, fatigue, dizziness, confusion, and lack of alertness, you think that it is the result of iron deficiency.
However, not always you will have these symptoms due to iron deficiency. It is essential to understand that you may have the same symptoms in any underlying condition. For instance, whether you have a fever or normal body ache, you will have pain.
Pain is the symptom, but the cause can be anything. Likewise, fatigue, dizziness, and weakness are symptoms, but the cause will not always be iron deficiency.
Zinc is the essential nutrient that your body needs not just for improving your immunity but for wound healing, growth and development, gene expression, and DNA synthesis.
Various types of foods consist of Zinc, but the food that does not consist of Zinc include but is not limited to breakfast cereals, processed food like chips, granola bars, and the like.
Health benefits of Zinc
It is crucial to have the right amount of zinc in your diet. Here are the health benefits of using zinc:
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It helps boost the immune system
Studies have proved that zinc can help improve your immune system because it strengthens immune cells. The deficiency of zinc can lead to weak immunity. One of the greatest benefits of zinc nutrient is that it helps reduce oxidative stress. You can keep the common cold and infections at bay if you are not zinc deficient.
Some studies have shown that the proper intake of zinc can also lead to improved immunity. However, more studies have to be done to prove it. This is because immunity is generally lower in older people.
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It helps reduce stress
Another benefit of including zinc in your diet is that it helps whittle down stress. Though the lack of zinc nutrients can lead to fatigue and viral infection due to poor immunity, it also affects some people in other ways. People who often take a lot of stress are more vulnerable to zinc deficiency.
This is because the deficiency can lead to increased stress. If you take the right amount of zinc, it can help you take less stress. However, the best way to manage stress is to avoid overthinking about negative events that happened in the past.
One of the significant reasons why you have a weak immune system is that you take a lot of stress. Studies have proved that stress affects immune cells. Another benefit of zinc nutrient is that it responds well to heal inflammation, which is necessary to prevent bacterial infection.
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It may whittle down the risk of age-related diseases
Undoubtedly zinc can reduce the risk of age related diseases. It boosts T-cells in your body that helps improve your immunity. Zinc can reduce the risk of oxidative stress and avoid age-related diseases like macular degeneration.
Studies have shown that zinc can reduce the infection rate. Zinc leads to strong immunity, and if your immunity is strong, you will less likely suffer from problems.
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Foods that are rich in zinc
There are a wide variety of foods that are rich in zinc. As far as it is about obtaining zinc from a diet, you can get it from plant based and animal sources. Here are the food items that you can eat in order to gain zinc:
- Shellfish is a rich source of zinc. It includes oysters, lobsters, and clams.
- If you are a non-vegetarian, your diet must consist of beef, lamb and pork.
- Turkey and chicken are also the best sources of zinc.
- If you are a fish eater, sardines and salmon must be on your menu. You can also include eggs in your diet.
- If you are a vegetarian, you will have to rely on beans and legumes, especially chickpeas and lentils, nuts and seeds like pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, cashews, and dairy products like milk, curd and cheese.
Food is a natural source for zinc, but plant based food sources do not provide you with enough zinc amounts, and as a result, you can have a zinc deficiency.
Since you know zinc deficiency can lead to a weak immune system, you should be extra cautious about the proper intake of zinc. This is why you may have to take zinc supplements.
Should you take zinc supplements?
Zinc supplements can be effective to recover from the deficiency. However, it is suggested that you should be sure about the fact that you are zinc deficient. You can buy over the counter zinc supplements. You can also consult a doctor so they can prescribe you the one.
If you do not have enough money to buy the supplement and are zinc deficient, you can apply for an emergency loan with a direct lender. These loans can help you pay for the cost of the supplement. Make sure that you can quickly settle the whole of the debt in the next payday because such small loans are paid off in a lump sum.
Although zinc supplements can be good to boost immunity, you need to be cautious about the intake. The overdose of zinc supplements can equally harm your body. It is crucial to note that you do not experience any side effects by taking the zinc supplement. You should discontinue the usage if you notice.
Zinc toxicity can lead to vomiting, diarrhoea, good low cholesterol, flu-like symptoms, and the like. Therefore, it is always recommended to consult your GP before taking any zinc supplements.
Before you start taking zinc supplements, it is essential to figure out that the studies that claim it boosts the immune system may have limited effect. It means just because it has shown some improvement in some people in the trial. It does not mean that those improvements you will also experience in your body.
It is crucial to note that each study is different, and it has its own limitations. For instance, one of the studies showed lower upper respiratory system infections in some people by taking zinc nasal spray, but the result was modest. Only one in twenty people showed this result. The evidence is so little that no claim can be made about it.
Likewise, another study showed that zinc supplements could reduce the symptoms of flu-like infections, including fever. Still, it is worth noting down that the study did not confirm that people who participated in the trial actually had flu.
The bottom line
There is no evidence that you can improve your immunity by taking a zinc supplement, although the nutrient can keep you healthy if you get it through a healthy and balanced diet.
When it comes to improving immunity, nothing can overtake a healthy, nutritious diet. This is why you should focus on eating a healthy balanced diet.
