Guest guest Posted August 8, 2000 Report Share Posted August 8, 2000 http://www.healthscout.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/Af?ap=55 & id=100457 Tired? Cold? Maybe You Need Zinc Many don't get enough in their diet A dietary deficiency of zinc can result in fatigue, mood swings and a blunted immune system that often shows up as frequent colds or slow-healing infections. And this isn't a problem of the poor or of developing nations. The German Health Association, for example, estimates that more than half of all Germans are zinc deficient, according to a wire service story in " The Times of India " ., Children, adolescents, pregnant women and the elderly are most at risk for zinc deficiency, but it's easy to get enough by eating certain foods or through supplements. Dietary Sources of Zinc: * Oysters and other shellfish * Red and white meat * Wheat germ * Seeds, nuts and peas (Source: American Society for Nutritional Sciences, Accenthealth.com) Don't take too much, though. More than 150 milligrams daily causes stomach pain or even vomiting. The American Society for Nutritional Sciences states that most people need between 10 and 15 milligrams daily; nursing mothers should consume up to 19 milligrams per day. Some conditions also interfere with zinc absorption, such as diets high in soy or wheat protein, that contain a chemical called phytic acid that binds up zinc in the digestive tract. Alcoholism, sickle-cell anemia and kidney disease can also lead to zinc deficiency. <snipped> Curiously, taking too much zinc -- in the form of supplements -- also increases the death rate. For these people, consuming just the zinc that the body needs seems to be crucial. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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