What it does in the body
Zinc is an essential mineral that is found in almost every cell.1 It supports a healthy immune system, is needed for wound healing, helps maintain sense of taste and smell and is needed for DNA synthesis. Zinc also supports normal growth and development during pregnancy, childhood and adolescence.
Food Sources
- Zinc can be found in meat, fish, poultry, shellfish, whole grain cereals, corn, peanuts, dairy products, pumpkin seeds, okra and mung beans.2
Recommended Dietary Allowance
- The RDA for zinc ranges from 8 mg to 13 mg.3
Orthomolecular Dosage Range: Considerably higher than RDA levels.
- 25-75 mg/day. Orthomolecular physicians may recommend more in some circumstances.
Maintaining a healthy immune system is a prime way to protect against
getting an excessive number of colds. Good nutrition is fundamental,
with beta-carotenes (found in vegetables and fruits), vitamin C and
zinc being particularly important. All of these are antioxidants, which
protect against free radical damage to cells and enhance a variety of
immune functions.4
1 Office of dietary supplements, US national institute of health, http://dietary- supplements.info.nih.gov/factsheets/cc/zinc.html#what
2 Ibid.
3 http://www.somaacupuncture.com/common-cold.html