This blog post will walk you through:

• Exploring how zinc supports digestion, immune function, and hormone balance.
• Identifying the common causes and signs of zinc deficiency.
• Learning how a simple zinc taste test can help assess your zinc levels.

The Vital Role of Zinc in Energy, Digestion, Hormone Balance, and Sleep

In the biochemical process illustrated above, converting serotonin to melatonin requires a methyl donor (CH3), vitamin B5, and zinc. Zinc plays a critical role in over 250 bodily functions, including taste, and is a common nutritional deficiency both in the U.S. and globally.

Zinc is essential for producing stomach acid, which is crucial for proper digestion. Without adequate stomach acid, food cannot be digested effectively. The carbonic anhydrase buffer system, which relies on zinc, is vital for maintaining a stable pH in your body.

Zinc is also necessary for regulating the pH of your blood and other body systems. The carbonic anhydrase system, a key biochemical buffer system, is crucial for your body’s pH balance, almost as important as oxidation and reduction pathways.

Carbonic Anhydrase System (the main buffer system of the body to keep your pH balanced) 

Zinc is also Needed to Make Epinephrine from Norepinephrine…

What Could Be More Important than Adrenalin (Epinephrine)?  

Think Zinc!

Zinc is an essential mineral present in nearly every cell of your body, including your hair. It activates about 100 enzymes involved in various biochemical reactions such as cell death, hormone release, and nerve impulse transmission. Zinc supports immune function, hormone balance, sleep, and sexual health. It is concentrated in the male ejaculatory fluid and prostate. Zinc also aids in T-lymphocyte activation and growth during pregnancy, childhood, and adolescence and is necessary for wound healing and DNA synthesis.

In the Standard American Diet, zinc sources include oysters, fish, red meat, and dark poultry. High intakes of iodine, copper, vanadium, chromium, or manganese, as well as alcohol consumption, can deplete zinc levels. Digestive issues can lead to zinc deficiency, and phytates in whole grains and legumes can inhibit zinc absorption. Vegetarians may need 50% more zinc than non-vegetarians. Zinc deficiency signs include poor wound healing, hair loss, premature graying, diarrhea, loss of appetite, taste abnormalities, skin rashes, corneal clouding, mood changes, and frequent infections. Certain medications can also cause zinc loss.

The ability to taste zinc correlates with your body’s zinc reserves. A simple zinc taste test can help assess your zinc levels. If you cannot taste a zinc solution, it indicates severe zinc deficiency. A metallic or slightly bitter taste suggests a moderate zinc need, while an immediate strong bitter taste indicates adequate zinc levels. Zinc deficiency is particularly common among young people, who need zinc for hormone production, bone health, and growth.

Poor zinc status can affect digestion, sleep quality, energy levels, pain regulation, and adrenal function. Zinc is necessary for metabolizing melatonin from serotonin, epinephrine from norepinephrine, testosterone, and estrogen, and converting eicosanoids into anti-inflammatory fats, which are crucial for adrenal health.

Standard Process carries several amazing zinc products. I will share with you information about those zinc products here.

Zinc Test: The Zinc Test product is great because even if you have terrible digestion, you can still digest and absorb the zinc in this product because it is in a liquid form and it will be absorbed easily through your stomach and intestinal walls (mucosa). The standard dosage is 2 full dropperfuls at breakfast, 2 dropperfuls for lunch, and 2 dropperfuls at dinner. If you are especially depleted or weigh over 200 pounds, then consider a higher dosage. If you weigh less than 140 pounds, then consider a lower dosage.

Zinc chelate: even though this is a whole food supplement, it is a relatively high-dose zinc supplement. It contains 10 mg of zinc per tablet. It is best to chew this product. Most people who are very low on zinc will benefit from 3 of these pills with breakfast, 3 with lunch, and 3 with dinner. This is particularly good for people with back pain and who have a low-nutrient diet. It is also good for those who do not eat enough animal protein, don’t have a good sense of smell, and are prone to colds and the flu. It is also very helpful for those people who tend to be low on energy and those people with digestive problems such as GERD or another variety of heartburn (acid reflux). Some people have burning in their stomach before, during, or after a meal—this product could very likely be good for that person.

Zinc Complex, formerly known as Chezyn—this product has a little bit less zinc than the zinc chelate or the zinc test products. It also contains iron and copper, so it is a bit better rounded of a product to help balance minerals. It may also be used to help with anemia. A good dosage for this product for most people would be 1 to 2 tablets chewed with breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Lighter people need less. Heavier people need more. It is best to chew the product. I have given this to one of our patients who has kidney failure, and it has helped her tremendously. This particular patient is also using a product called Hepatrophin PMG.

Trace Minerals-B12 has the least amount of zinc of all of those zinc products mentioned just now above. This is an amazing product with a calming effect. It supplies iodine, zinc, copper, manganese, B12, and iron, among other minerals. B12 is vitamin B12—it is not a mineral. This is fantastic for “hypoendocrine” disorders. This means that people who are depleted with low hormone levels may benefit from this product. A good dosage is 2 to 3 tablets per meal chewed.

Manganese-B12 is a great manganese product that also supplies zinc and Vitamin B12. This is a great product for those people who are exhausted all of the time, have joint pain, or have difficulty thinking clearly. Manganese is the main mineral that supports joint health. A good dosage is 4 with breakfast and 4 with lunch. It is best to chew this product.

Livaplex—this is another fantastic zinc product that is used for those people with a chronically congested liver. It is especially good for people that have needlessly suffered for many years from the S.A.D. (Standard American Diet). A good dosage is 2 to 4 pills with breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Dosage should be adjusted by weight and severity of symptoms. Headaches often go away with the use of this product.

Organically Bound Minerals: This product contains some zinc, but not nearly as much as the others mentioned above. This is a very well-rounded mineral supplement that contains quite a bit of iodine for those people that do not eat enough fish or who know that they are deficient in iodine. This product helps with poor digestion and poor mineral metabolism and the person who tends to have difficulties with their stomach.

Min-Tran: Min-Tran is a mineral tranquilizer product that has even less zinc than those other aforementioned products. It helps people who have difficulty calming down. It is mainly a magnesium and calcium product but also contains quite a bit of iodine. It is good for hypothyroid people and those people who have challenges sleeping well at night. It is also extremely helpful to those people who are under a lot of stress. This is a “most try” product. It should be chewed. The average dosage of this product is to chew 2 with breakfast, 2 with lunch, and 2 with dinner. If you are a very stressed-out person who sometimes has trouble getting to sleep at night, then it is also a great idea to chew two before bed.

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Portions of this article are based on insights from The Skolnikoff Method, which provides an in-depth look at holistic healing approaches.

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