will taking zinc shorten a cold?
short answer:
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Yes, BUT you need to do it right!
long answer:
Zinc, an essential mineral, impacts many body functions by protecting against every form of stress…including infection, as well as oxidative stress, psychological and emotional stress and blood sugar problems.
Mild deficiencies of this mineral are not uncommon. One of the most common deficiencies in the world, zinc deficiencies impact up to 17.3% of the world’s population, with up to 13% of European and North American populations at risk. Deficiencies are more common in infants, adolescence elderly and women in general. Low zinc levels result in…
Infections (i.e. Colds and Diarrhea)
Patches of Dry Skin
Acne
Sore Throat
Loss of Lean Body Mass
Resistance to Positive Effects of Vitamins A and D
Poor Activation of Digestive Enzymes
Development of Insulin Resistance and Diabetes
Macular Degeneration
Slow Wound Healing
Poor Sense of Taste and Smell
Hair Loss
Loss of Appetite
Mental Lethargy
how much zinc do i need?
The current recommendations for zinc include for infants six months old and younger 2 milligrams per day (mg/d), for women aged 19 or older 8 mg/d, and for men 11 mg/d.
Zinc Absorption:
Phylates: A diet low in animal products and high in a compound found in grains, nuts, seeds and legumes, known as phytates, bind zinc and inhibit its absorption. A recent computer modeling of zinc absorption has suggested that several servings per day of phytate-rich foods raises our need for zinc to 100 mg/d (which is almost impossible to get from food).
Proteins: Protein generally is known to enhance zinc absorption. Although, this is not true for casein (i.e. from cheese) which will likely hurt zinc absorption.
Sour Acids: Sour acids, found in many fermented plant foods (i.e. yogurt) and fruits, are known to improve zinc absorption.
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According to Chris Masterjohn PhD, overall, “zinc is five times more absorbable from the average animal food than from the average plant food. Oysters and red meat are richest in zinc, and the leaner cuts of meat are richer in zinc than the fattier cuts. For poultry, darker cuts of meat are richer in zinc than lighter cuts of meat, but the trimmable fat and skin from these cuts is lowest in zinc. Although the zinc in whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes is unreliable, other plant foods, such as fruits and vegetables, are very low in zinc.”
Dietary Patterns:
Plant Based: As mentioned above, Plant Based Diets have fewer options for zinc that aren’t rich in phytates. The best low-phytate option is palm hearts, followed by yeast and fireweed leaves. Coconut, avocados, berries, mushrooms, and seaweed also offer low-phytate options that can provide sufficient zinc if eaten at very high levels. There are strategies to increase zinc bioavailability when eating beans, grains, and seeds, but it takes some time and effort. This is done by soaking them in water for several hours before cooking, then allowing them to sit after soaking until sprouts form
High-Sugar: The higher diets are in sugar, the lower they are in zinc. Unless you are trying to keep your carbohydrate levels low, replacing sugar with maple syrup or maple sugar are possibly good options since they both have zinc.
Keto and High-Fat: When following a high-fat diet, it is important to realize that fat displaces zinc. Also, fattier cuts of meat are lower in zinc than the leaner cuts. If you eat high-fat, it is important to select zinc-rich foods, such as oysters and red meat!
Cause an increase in need for zinc:
Chronic diarrhea
Persistent vomiting
Emotional stress
Diabetes
Alcoholism
Crohn’s disease, celiac, and other digestive disorders
Impaired methylation (as in the MTHFR polymorphism)
Supplement Safely:
Rarely, can zinc cause serious toxicity, but this has occurred (i.e. child swallowing a penny). Toxicity can cause gastrointestinal upset, vomiting, nausea, and dizziness. The main concern with zinc supplementation is that it can cause copper deficiency, because it causes your body to make a protein that binds up extra zinc along with binding extra copper and other minerals. Copper levels have been reportedly impacted with even moderately high zinc intakes of approximately 60 mg/day for up to 10 weeks. But in addition to its impact on copper levels, an intake of 150–450 mg/day has been associated with chronic effects such as altered iron function, reduced immune function, and reduced levels of high-density lipoproteins.
Several studies in older adults have shown that supplementing with zinc at 45 mg/d decreases infection, inflammation, and oxidative stress, and that 80 mg/d reduces the incidence of age-related macular degeneration and protects against vision loss.
Take zinc supplements on an empty stomach or with a phytate-free meal containing meat and/or fruit and with a full glass of water. Since we are limited in the amount we can absorb at once, the ideal dose is 10-15 mg. If you need more, take this dose multiple times a day separated by five hours. Finally, maintain a zinc-to-copper ratio between 15-to-1 and 2-to-1to protect yourself from a copper deficiency. Jarrows Zinc Balance* is a good option.
Sulfate, acetate, gluconate, and citrate are the forms of zinc that have the most research support, while picolinate is likely to end up in your hair or urine instead of being used.
Possible interactions:
According to Mayo Clinic, using oral zinc when taking quinolone or tetracycline antibiotics can interfere with their ability to fight bacteria, while taking the antibiotic two hours before or four to six hours after taking zinc can minimize this effect. Those with rheumatoid arthritis need to know that the drug penicillamine (Cuprimine, Depen) can have a reduced effectiveness when zinc is taken within two hours. Also, the blood pressure drugs, called thiazide diuretics, increase the amount of zinc lost in urine. Taking large amounts of supplemental iron (greater than 25 mg) might decrease zinc absorption, so if you need supplement with iron, take the iron between meals to decrease its effect on zinc absorption.
How to shorten that cold:
Taking zinc right away upon the onset of a cold is associated with significant reduction in its severity and duration! But zinc sprays applied directly to the nasal passages have been associated with a loss of smell and taste, so these should be used with extreme caution or not at all. High levels of zinc in the nose and throat prevents cold viruses from invading your cells if taken during the first 2-3 days every two hours, so zinc lozenges (such as Life Extension Enhanced Zinc Lozenges* ) can kill a cold if used correctly at the first sign. The key is to find a zinc lozenge that is able to fully release the zinc by slowly dissolving within your mouth so that it can be used in the nose and throat tissue. Fifteen-20 mg of zinc acetate or gluconate is the best form, and needs to be big enough to take 20-30 minutes to dissolve.
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Wendy Dellis is a certified wellness coach. She joins years of training and work in the area of behavior change, experience as a fitness instructor and run club coordinator with a passion for adventure and people. She lives in Minnesota with her husband, Jay, and two sons.
The information contained on this page is for general information purposes only. Nothing here should be construed as medical or healthcare advice, but only topics for discussion. No physician-patient relationship exists; please consult your physician before making changes in diet or lifestyle.