In Zinc

Sun Herald

Sunday November 9, 2008

By Helen Hawkes.

Taken in moderation, this essential mineral is a vital nutrient in the fight against ageing. By Helen Hawkes.

Want to keep those youthful looks? It might be a good idea to go out and eat some oysters. This seafood delicacy is by far the richest source of dietary zinc, a mineral that is essential to energy production, cell replication and healthy immune function. "Zinc is arguably the most important nutrient in the body," says GP and anti-ageing specialist Dr Michael Elstein, author of You Have The Power. "It is thought the immune system deficiency caused by a lack of zinc is partly behind chronic diseases such as cancer, overwhelming infections and some autoimmune diseases."

In 2006, the Italian National Research Centre on Ageing found zinc may encourage longevity by boosting immune response and reducing chronic inflammation. In fact, zinc is required for the development and activation of T-lymphocytes, a white blood cell that helps fight infection, according to research published in the American Journal Of Physiology in 2007.

Zinc has also been shown to help stop the replication and multiplication of viruses, including the common cold and the herpes simplex virus that causes cold sores, according to Wollongong consultant surgeon Dr John Fitzherbert, who has researched the role of minerals in the prevention of disease.

You can have your zinc levels measured by a blood, saliva or hair test. Symptoms of deficiency include loss of appetite, decreased sense of taste and smell and slow wound healing, says Elstein. Vegetarians, those who eat a diet high in fibre, pregnant women, people over 50 and those who abuse alcohol may be at most risk.

The adult recommended daily allowance for zinc is 15mg for men and 12mg for women. However, too much zinc - doses of more than 150mg - can be toxic. "Here's the dark side of zinc - there's research to suggest that too much of it can increase free radicals and even encourage cancer cells to proliferate," says Elstein.

So before you rush out for zinc lozenges, boosting the amount of zinc-rich foods you eat might be a more natural alternative.

Six raw oysters contain 76mg of zinc; 85g of beef contains 4.6mg; one cup of chickpeas contains 2.5mg; 85g of chicken contains 2.1mg; and 28g of Swiss cheese contains 1.1mg.

© 2008 Sun Herald

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