Zinc Part 2
When you have a deficiency of zinc in your body, it can manifest itself in different ways. You may feel very sluggish and irritable or experience a loss of hair. You may also lose your appetite, which will result in weight loss. It can also impair your senses of taste and smell.
Males may have a lower than normal sperm count. Since a deficiency in this mineral does have an effect on the immune system, wounds do not heal quickly and it may take longer for you to recover from an illness. In infants and children, it is most often associated with slow growth and development. Babies born to mothers who have this deficiency may have birth defects.
Most of the time, the deficiency is the result of an unbalanced diet, taking diuretics or alcoholism. However, there are individuals with a rare genetic disease that inhibits the body's ability to absorb zinc from food.
It is rare that people consume too much zinc, but it does happen resulting in toxicity. This usually occurs when you consume foods that have been packaged in zinc-coated containers. The typical symptoms of this toxicity are a metallic taste in the mouth, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Over time, an excess of this mineral in the body can limit the absorption of copper in the body, cause anaemia and cause irreparable damage to the immune system.
The recommended daily dose of zinc through dietary supplements is 5 to 25 mg for adults, but not more than 15 mg per day for children. Zinc supplements have proven to be beneficial in the treatment of many medical conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis and urinary tract infections.
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