Zinc is an important mineral. It is in every human body cell. Zinc helps the immune system. Sufficient zinc makes colds and flu disappear faster. We need very little zinc per day, but zinc is essential for the conversion of more than 300 different enzymes in the human body. Zinc is mainly found in meat, fish, nuts and seeds.NB! This article is written from the personal view of the author and may contain information that is not scientifically substantiated and/or in line with the general view.

Contents:

• How much zinc do we need?
• What is zinc in?

• Plant sources of zinc

• Zinc deficiency and zinc surplus
• Sperm motility
• Zinc, medication and alcohol

How much zinc do we need?

We only need very little zinc. Men need 11 mg and women 8 mg. A supplement often only contains 1 mg, but that is enough. People who exhaust themselves physically, for example top athletes, can develop a zinc deficiency. Zinc is mainly found in the muscles and if the muscles want to recover after heavy physical activity, they use the nearest zinc store. This must then be supplemented with zinc from dietary sources. Because zinc from plant foods is absorbed into the body slightly less quickly than zinc from meat and fish products, it is recommended that vegetarians eat 16 mg of zinc for men and 12 mg of zinc for adult vegetarian women. Women during pregnancy need slightly more zinc than normal.

What is zinc in?

Oysters contain the most zinc. In general, meat and fish are good suppliers of zinc, but there are many other vegetable products that contain a lot of zinc. Animal products, seeds and whole grains in particular contain zinc.

Plant sources of zinc

1. mushrooms,
2. Dairy products,
3. Nuts, such as almonds, peanuts and pecans,
4. Spinach,
5. Sesame seed,
6. pumpkin seeds,
7. Oatmeal,
8. green peas,
9. Maple syrup or maple syrup,
10. Asparagus,
11. Ginger,
12. Chards,
13. Shi-take and
14. Miso; Japanese fermented brown rice with barley, salt, soybeans and the fungus koji-kin.

Zinc deficiency and zinc surplus

If you consume too much zinc, it can lead to a copper deficiency. As a result, the energy balance is less well regulated. Too much zinc can lead to the same symptoms as too little zinc. Symptoms of zinc imbalance include:

• Fatigue,
• hair loss,
• night blindness,
• Skin problems, such as eczema, acne and slow healing of wounds,
• Eye problems,
• Liver problems,
• Chronic diarrhea,
• Depression,
• Low bloodpressure,
• Prostate problems that can ultimately lead to prostate cancer
• White spots on the nails,
• Pale skin,
• Libido loss and
• Decreased appetite which can lead to weight loss.

Sperm motility

Zinc is good for general health and specifically for the biological functioning of male sexual organs. This is because the motility of the sperm is increased by zinc. This factor is also called sperm motility. It is the ability that allows sperm to travel to an egg in the female uterus. Not only the quantity of sperm is important, but also the quality.

Zinc, medication and alcohol

Medicines can cause zinc to be less absorbed by the body. Women who take the contraceptive pill should eat more zinc-containing products, just like people who take hormone therapy. Furthermore, it is important to know that alcoholics have a greater risk of zinc deficiency. A zinc deficiency is made worse because a zinc deficiency damages the liver, while alcohol also damages the liver.

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