Although dietary zinc has been known since the 1960s to play an
important role in human health, it was not until as recently as
1990 that its role as an important ant-oxidant was identified.
Perhaps not surprisingly, early attention focussed on zinc’s
role as an essential mineral for sexual and reproductive health,
particularly in the male; but it is now known that its functions
are much more numerous. Indeed some nutritional practitioners go
so far as to claim that plentiful supplies of dietary zinc are
vital for the proper functioning of every cell in the body.

Initial laboratory experiments appeared to show two ways in
which zinc discharged its anti-oxidant functions. The first is
that dozens of vital enzymes within the body contain zinc and in
these enzymes the zinc molecule acts directly as an
anti-oxidant, protecting the biochemical structure of the enzyme
from free radical attack. Secondly, zinc acts to stabilise
proteins which may otherwise react with highly unstable
minerals, particularly iron and copper, to form free radicals.

These experimental demonstrations of zinc’s anti-oxidant
activity have now been amply confirmed by studies of the effects
of zinc deficiencies and supplementation in live humans; and
some researchers have given particular attention to zinc’s
activity within the brain.

Zinc is found in higher concentrations within the brain than
any other essential mineral except iron and is believed to be
particularly important in preserving the effectiveness of the
so-called “blood brain barrier” (BBB). The purpose of the BB is
to protect vital brain and nervous system tissue from the toxins
which it might otherwise absorb through the blood supply. The
potential problem is that the BBB is made of a highly sensitive
and fragile membrane, largely comprised of fatty acids, which is
particularly vulnerable to the oxidative damage caused by free
radicals.

The supposition is therefore that oxidative stress upon the
body may lead to reduced effectiveness of the BBB, with a
consequently increased likelihood of degenerative health
problems within the brain and nervous system; the best known of
these being Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. This
supposition has been borne out by laboratory experiments on
rats, which have also shown that zinc deficiency in these
animals significantly reduces the strength of the BBB.

It is perhaps not surprising, therefore, that zinc deficiency
in humans has long been associated with brain pathologies
including schizophrenia, multiple sclerosis, dyslexia,
Huntington’s disease, various dementias anorexia and depression.
The logical corollary of these well-established findings should
be that adequate supplies of dietary zinc will protect against
these pathologies, perhaps especially those degenerative ones
most closely associated with long-term oxidative stress.

Unfortunately, however, it appears that zinc is one of those
minerals which it is becoming increasingly difficult to obtain
from the daily diet. Soil depletion, environmental pollutants
and diets high in refined carbohydrate diets are all implicated
in dramatically reducing the amount of zinc active within our
bodies; and the problem is especially acute for the elderly,
whose less efficient digestive systems often struggle to absorb
adequate amounts of the mineral, even supposing that these are
present in the diet in the first place.

And these problems are compounded by the fact that the
functions of zinc are by no means confined to brain and nervous
system health. Adequate zinc is also necessary for the
effectiveness of the immune system and wound healing, for
reproductive and sexual health, the prevention of degenerative
eye disease, the regulation of blood sugar and the maintenance
of skin health to name but a few.

Not surprisingly, therefore, nutritional therapists make a
strong case for routine zinc supplementation, particularly for
the older population, and commonly recommend a daily protective
dose of 15–25 mg of zinc per day. Both the US and EU authorities
suggest a Recommended Dietary Amount (RDA) of 15 mg, and a good
quality multi-mineral product will commonly provide around half
this quantity. Higher doses of the single mineral are of course
available when required for tackling the conditions detailed
above, but more than 200 mg of zinc daily should not be taken
for extended periods because this may interfere with the
absorption of other minerals.

In this context it should be remembered in any case that the
body functions holistically and that all supplements of zinc, of
whatever quantity, should be taken together with comprehensive
multi-mineral and multi-vitamin preparations.

About The Author: Steve Smith is a freelance copywriter
specialising in direct marketing and with a particular interest
in health products. Find out more at
sisyphuspublicationsonline.com/LiquidNutrition/Zinc-Anti-Oxidant.htm

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