The human body needs a lot of vitamins and minerals on day to day basis for the body to remain healthy and to fulfill day to day functions. Zinc is one of these minerals which is very important for the human body. Like all other minerals and vitamins, the requirements of the body can be met through a balanced diet intake. But in many cases where either the zinc intake is not sufficient or it is not being absorbed properly by the body because of certain reasons, a deficiency of zinc can occur in the body which may lead to certain types of problems and hence the person may be required to take zinc supplements.
Zinc requirement of the body will depend on the age, gender and overall body health of the person. The daily requirement of zinc would vary from 2mg to 13mg per day depending on these factors. Oysters are the best source of zinc but it is also available in good quantities in red meat, sea foods like crabs and lobsters, beans, cashew, almonds etc.
- Important for immune system of the body
The auto immune system of the body helps the humans in fighting against bacteria, viruses. Hence a deficiency of zinc in the body can make the person prone to disease. Zinc is present in all the cells of the body because it is needed to make proteins and DNA which is the genetic material of all living beings. Hence a human body with the required amount of zinc can fight the infections better than those having a deficiency of zinc.
- Zinc supports male fertility
Zinc plays a very important role in the reproductive health of the males as a very high concentration of zinc is needed in the cells of the male prostate to work optimally so as to produce the required levels of testosterones. Low level of zinc in males reduces testosterone production which in turn can cause infertility in men also puts them at greater risk of developing prostate cancer. Intake of zinc tablets as a supplement in people with zinc deficiency can help a lot.
- Improves the cardio-vascular health
Zinc is a vital element for endothelium and the health of the cardiovascular cells. Endothelium lines the blood vessels and plays an important role in the process of blood circulation in the body. Deficiency of zinc can cause a weaker endothelial barrier which may lead to inflammation and higher cholesterol build-up in the blood vessels, a major cause of heart attacks in humans. Hence healthy levels of zinc have preventive effect on progression of heart disease particularly in elderly.
- Zinc is helpful in preventing diabetes
The presence of adequate quantities of zinc in the human body has three roles so far as the insulin health is concerned. It binds to insulin so that the insulin can get adequately stored in pancreas. It also helps in making the cells receptive to insulin so that glucose entering the body can be used. Zinc helps in maintaining cell health and insulin sensitivity.