According to a 91-year-old scientist’s discovery, Zinc consumption can help you shorten colds, cell division, and other basic biological functions.
The common cold is one of the main causes of absenteeism, whether at work, at school or another. A cold can last for about a week. A regular person can get sick about three times a year.
However, so far there is no real cure, but according to some studies carried out in recent years, it has been shown that consuming a supplement containing zinc can reduce cold symptoms up to 40 percent, depending on the dose and the elements with which it is combined.
Zinc made its appearance – as an essential mineral for health – only in the 1970s, thanks to the intervention of the National Academy of Science, focusing on its immune function.
The scientific study of Zinc
Thanks to Dr. Ananda Prasad (91 years), we now know much more about the functions that zinc plays in the body and immunity. At one point, to prove his theory, Prasad entered into a collaboration with his research assistant James T Fitzgerald, an expert in research study design.
They identified patients from the Detroit area who were suffering from a cold. Doses were administered to patients with a double blind, placebo-controlled trial. In this case, neither the researchers nor the patients knew who took the placebo or the actual zinc pill.
Fitzgerald announced that the results were positive and that zinc can really shorten or lessen the common symptoms of a cold for two or three days. A significantly important result for the case.
While zinc has been studied for years, it almost never pointed to the benefits it can have for the body, but it may be related to the lozenge dosage.
Another study on the properties of Zinc
According to a meta-analysis carried out by Harri Hemilä of the University of Helsinki, the consumption of 80 to 92 milligrams of zinc per day when common symptoms begin, the duration of the cold decreased by 33 percent.
On the other hand, two main types of compounds were identified in the investigation:
- Zinc Gluconate
- Zinc Acetate
Both are effective. However, no evidence was found that increasing the dose – to 100 or more milligrams per day – might be more effective than regular doses.
Observations: Zinc can be a bit difficult to dose because it is at the level of copper, also very difficult to dose. Children and young people have greater zinc deficiency, generally related to eating habits.
Signs that warn the body about Zinc deficiency
- Healing problems
- Recurring flu
- Stains at the base of the nails
- Premature gray hair
- Infectious repetitive pictures
- Allergies
Another important function of zinc in the brain is that it does not allow aluminum to enter. In turn, one of the causes of Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s maybe the lack of zinc in the body.
Zinc-rich foods
Many foods contain this mineral in different proportions. The richest natural sources of zinc are:
- The oysters
- Red meat
- Poultry
- Seafood
- Cereals
- Green vegetables (preferably organic)
- Eggs
- Nuts
- Cocoa
Conclusion
According to the researchers, it is quite difficult to “instruct patients” in the consumption of these types of minerals. On the other hand, many times supplements that are sold in pharmacies contain other types of elements that can degenerate the effectiveness of zinc. At the same time, keep in mind that if zinc is consumed, it must not be mixed with citric acid since it prevents zinc from being released into the body.
So, if you want to have fewer colds, or at least they are milder, don’t forget this important mineral for good health. You will not run like an athlete from the NBA, but even the best athletes in BetAmerica.com basketball expert picks need their fair share of zinc to keep fit and healthy.
Do not forget to consume enough liquid and have a good rest to fight the symptoms of the cold. Doctors always recommend reading product labels to control the number of elements and ingredients that certain foods contain, in this case, zinc.
