Zinc is a major component of various enzymes present in the human body. It is active in the metabolism of glucides and proteins and is required for the synthesis of insulin by the pancreas and for the immunity function. It is present in minute amounts in all the tissues of the body. The total constituent of zinc in adults is 1.4 to 2.3 g of which 60 per cent is in the skeletal muscles and 30 per cent is in the bones. Highest concentration of zinc is seen in hippocampus area of the brain, choroids of eye, lever, prostrate gland and prostrate fluid. Zinc accumulations are also visible in muscle, pancreas, leucocytes, nail and hair.
Food sources:
Rich dietary sources of zinc are greens, beans, nuts, cheese, meat and shellfish. The zinc requirement is more in children, pregnant and nursing mothers.
Zinc is absorbed from duodenum. Copper, calcium, cadmium, iron and phytate interfere with the absorption of the mineral. Zinc and cooper competitively inhibit each others absorption. Zinc is therapeutically useful in reducing cooper absorption in Wilson’s disease. In the liquid form in the blood stream, zinc is combined with a specific protein called matellothionen. It is excreted through the pancreatic juice and to a lesser extent through sweat.
More than three hundred enzymes are dependent upon zinc. Some important ones are carboxy–peptidase, carbonic and anhydrase, Alkanine phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase, ethanol dehydrogenase and glutamate dehydrogenase. RNA polymerase contains zinc. Therefore, it is required for protein biosynthesis. Extra cellular super oxide, dismutase is zinc dependent, so zinc is also and antioxidant which means that it helps in combating the free radicals in the environment such as pollution, smoke, exhaust, fumes etc. Free radicals lead to the development of various diseases in the body such as cancer, heart disease, bronchitis etc.
Zinc helps in the synthesis of retinol binding protein, therefore zinc deficiency leads to the lowering of vitamin A levels in the blood. As a nutritional mineral it is required for normal immunological functions in the body. The supplementation of the mineral in mothers improves the birth weight of babies. It is also useful in controlling acute diarrhea.
Zinc stabilizes the hormone molecule insulin when stored in the beta cells of pancreas containing zinc. The insulin released into the blood does not contain zinc. The commercially available preparation, protamin-zinc-insulinate also contains zinc.
The zinc containing protein, Gusten in saliva is important for taste sensation.
Deficiency
This includes poor wound healing, lesions of skin and impaired spermatogenesis. Skin manifestations include hyperkeratosis, dermatitis and alopecia. Zinc deficiency in expectant mothers is known to produce congenital malformations in the fetus.
Deficiency is most likely to be accompanied by depression, dementia and other psychiatric disorders. The mineral is known to bind with myeloid to form a plaque in Alzheimer’s disease. Neuropsychiatric complications of chronic alcoholism are also attributed to zinc deficiency.
Acrodermatities enteropathica is a recessive condition where zinc absorption is defective and is characterized by acute dermatitis (inflammation around mouth, nose, fingers, etc), diarrhea, alopecia (loss of hair in discrete areas), ophthalmoplegia and hypogonadism. Secondary zinc deficiency is seen in chronic alcoholism and in untreated diabetes mellitus.
Requirement of zinc for adults is 15 mg/day; children 10 mg/day; in pregnancy and lactation 15-20
Before taking any mineral supplements it is essential for you to consult a registered medical practitioner in order to determine if the nutrient is required by your body or not. You must also make note of any of the diseases or ailments you might be suffering from such as high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, depression, kidney problem, gastro intestinal disease, high cholesterol levels etc. you must also consider your present medical condition, if you are allergic to any prescription of over the counter (OTC) drugs or have a family history of any ailments before taking any mineral
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