Zinc Deficiency: Serious Business
While it is unlikely for a person living in the US today to
become zinc deficient, about 2 billion people world wide suffer from a lack of
this mineral. The impact of zinc deficiency was discovered about 49 years ago,
and the world is forever improved because of it. Zinc deficiency can cause many
negative effects on the human body including but not limited to growth
retardation, hypergonadism, immune dysfunction as well as cognitive impairment.
Zinc has been shown to be an intracellular signaling molecule in
monocytes, dendritic cells and macrophages and it plays an important role in
cell-mediated immune functions and oxidative stress. Zinc
supplementation has proven an affective treatment for diarrhea in children,
blindness in the elderly, various infections. It also decreased oxidative stress
and decreased the generation of inflammatory cytokines. Clinical zinc
supplementation was found to help in treatment of neurological disease,
atherosclerosis, and several malignancies.
These represent some of the more serious effects of zinc
deficiency. It is not something to be taken lightly, but it is important to
note that zinc deficiency is not a common occurrence among people living in the
developed world. Fortified foods ensure this, although athletes, vegetarians,
and people pregnant or lactating are at an elevated risk for zinc deficiency.
The above conditions result from long periods of time, or times of growth
without zinc, and not a temporary imbalanced diet.
Prasad A.S. Impact of the discovery
of human zinc deficiency on health. Journal of American
College of Nutrition.2009;28:257–265.
It is good to know that we are at such low risk of zinc deficiency in this country. Until reading your post, I was unaware of the potentially devastating effect of zinc deficiency. Many people I have spoken with have knocked fortified foods because they are not totally "natural," but in my opinion they are a saving grace in many circumstances. Thank you for your post!
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