|
|
|
2009 December - Zinc (The Key to Avoiding Getting Colds/
Flu?)
One of the most common questions I receive from patients in
the fall and winter months is "What can I do to avoid
getting colds and the flu?".
My
simplest response to this is "Make sure your immune
system is working optimally." Think about it...you're in
a room with people who are sick and coughing the germs are
floating around everywhere. Why do some people "catch" a
cold and some don't? The answer is that some people's immune
systems are able to fight it off and some aren't.
One way to
make sure that your immune system is working optimally is to
ensure that your body has enough Zinc. Recent studies have
shown that zinc can help reduce the duration of a cold by as
much as 50% (WebMD).
Zinc is a mineral that is very important to the body in many
ways...including helping keep the immune system strong,
helping heal wounds, and supporting normal growth. Zinc
helps fight infections and topical zinc is used to treat
diaper rash and skin irritations. Zinc has also been shown
to help with ulcers, ADHD, acne, sickle cell anemia, Crohn's
disease and other conditions (WebMD).
Food sources of zinc include red meat, poultry, oysters,
fortified cereals, whole grains, beans and nuts. Zinc
supplements should be taken with food to avoid possibly
irritating the stomach.
How do you know if you have enough zinc? Fortunately
there is a zinc taste test that can give you an
instant indicator of whether or not you have adequate levels
in your system. Hold liquid zinc in your mouth for 15
seconds. An immediate taste sensation (will taste bad like
metal) suggests you have adequate levels. A lack of taste
perception (or delayed aftertaste) suggests a possible zinc
insufficiency. If that's the case, simply take zinc until it
starts to taste bad (that's how you know you've replenished
your levels). The safe levels for supplementation are up to
12 mg/day for kids (ages 4-13) and up to 40 mg/day for
adults.
For the month of December, I'm doing complementary zinc
taste tests for all patients. Be sure to stop in to see
if you're zinc levels are "up to par".
Yours in health,
Dr. Kevin
|
|
