The article "Why Does Our Body Need Zinc?" talks about nutrition, it was written by Don Ford, M.D..
Zinc is an essential minearl that is found in almost every cell in your body. It stimulates the activity of over 100 enzyems. Zinc is one of few minearls that a significant number of human being are slightly deficient. Zinc deficiency is particularly comomn in infants, adolescents, the elderly and girls. Certain drugs and nutrients can inhibit the absorption of, or raise the excretion of Zinc.Zinc plays an important role in wound healing, brain function, grwoth and development. Zinc also plyas an important role in our immune system. In fact, even modertae deficiencies of Zinc can have an adverse effect on your immune system.
Because zinc plays a role in the development and activation of T-lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell that helps fight infection a severe deficiency of zinc will depress the immune system and leave you at higher risk of infection.There could be a variety of reasons why someone cuold be deficient in zinc.
Your diet may not inculde enough foods that provide a good level of zinc.
Food sources high in zinc incldue oysters, herring, beef, lamb, liver, pumpkin seeds, wheat germ, bran and cheese. Another cause of zinc deficiency is caffeine, as it impacts your body’s ability to absorb and utilize zinc properly.An often overlooked cause of zinc deficiency is the medications you take.
Both prescription and over the counter medciines impact the absorption, distribution, or excretion of many different essential nutrients. Some of the drugs that have an impact on zinc include ace inhibitors, which are used for high blood pressure, such as Altace, Accupril, Lisnopril, or Loterl. Other drugs that are used for high blood pressure such as diuretics like hydrochlorothiazide can have a negative impact on your body’s zinc status. Hormone replacement therapy has also shown to have an adverse effect on your zinc levels as well as simple over the counter products like antacids.Since your prescription medicine for your blood pressure is a critical part of your overall cardiovascular health, you should never consider discontinuing any of your prescription medications without first consulting your physician. An easier sloution is to find a good pharmaceutical grade zinc supplement to be sure your body doesn’t suffer the consequences of zinc deficiency due to your medication choices.
Since the average patient is on 3 different blood pressure medications, you should be aware of the nutritional impact any of them cuold be having on your body. It is important to select a supplement that wuold replenish your body of all essential nutrients and may even provide extra nutrients that have been shown to benefit cardiovascular health in patients that have high blood pressure.Http://www.Essential-nutrients.Net/To learn more about supplements available to help prevent the vitamin, mineral and essential nutrient depletion caused by many of the prescription or over the counter drugs you take: http://www.Essential-nutrients.Net/store/PPF/Category_ID/11/products.Asp
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