Zinc, also known as spelter or Zi, is a mineral and metallic chemical element with atomic number 30. It is called an "essential mineral of exceptional biologic and public health importance" because very small amounts of zinc are necessary for human health. It is also called a "trace mineral", which means that you get it through the foods you eat.
Zinc is the 24th most abundant element in the Earth's crust and one of the most common mineral in the body - and is found in every cell. It has been used since ancient times to help heal wounds and is needed for the proper growth and maintenance of the human body. It is found in several systems and biological reactions, and it is needed for immune function, wound healing, blood clotting, reproduction, growth, vision, smell and taste, and proper insulin and thyroid function, and much more. Meats, seafood, dairy products, nuts, legumes, and whole grains offer relatively high levels of zinc.
Zinc also has antioxidant properties, meaning it helps protect cells in the body from damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals may contribute to the aging process, as well as the development of a number of health problems, including heart disease and cancer. Antioxidants can neutralize free radicals and may reduce or even help prevent some of the damage they cause.
Your body doesn't need a large amount of zinc. The recommended daily allowance for adults is 8 - 11 mg. It' s common to have slightly low levels of zinc, but taking a multivitamin, plus eating a healthy diet, should give you all the zinc you need.
It's rare for people in industrialized countries to be seriously deficient in zinc. Low zinc levels are sometimes seen in the elderly, alcoholics, people with anorexia, and people on very restricted diets. People who have malabsorption syndromes, such as Crohn's disease or celiac disease, may also be deficient in zinc.
Symptoms of zinc deficiency include loss of appetite; poor growth; weight loss; lack of taste or smell; poor wound healing; skin problems such as acne, atopic dermatitis and psoriasis; hair loss; lack of menstrual period; night blindness; white spots on the fingernails; and depression.
Zinc reduces the amount of copper your body absorbs, and high doses of zinc can cause a copper deficiency. For that reason, many doctors recommend that you take 2 mg of copper along with a zinc supplement.
Zinc is mostly used as an anti-corrosive agent in other metal products. It is used in the process of galvanization. Galvanization is the coating of other metals with iron or steel, which 50% of the worlds zinc is used for. Galvanization is used on chain-link fencing, guard rails, suspension bridges, light posts, metal roofs, heat exchangers, and car bodies.
Zinc is alloyed with copper to create brass. Brass is used for a wide variety of items such as pipes, instruments, communication equipment, hardware and water valves. It is also used in alloys such as nickel silver, typewriter metal, soft and aluminum solder, and commercial bronze. In some countries, such as the United States, Zinc is used to make money.
It is also used in sunscreens and baby diaper rash products as a barrier protector. It is used in toothpaste to prevent bad breath and in shampoos to stop dandruff.
Zinc is used for treatment and prevention of zinc deficiency and its consequences, including stunted growth and acute diarrhea in children, and slow wound healing.
It is also used for boosting the immune system, treating the common cold and recurrent ear infections, and preventing lower respiratory infections. It is also used for malaria and other diseases caused by parasites.
Some people use zinc for an eye disease called macular degeneration, for night blindness, and for cataracts. It is also used for asthma; diabetes; high blood pressure; acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS); and skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema, and acne.
Other uses include treating attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), blunted sense of taste (hypogeusia), ringing in the ears (tinnitus), severe head injuries, Crohn's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Down syndrome, Hansen's disease, ulcerative colitis, peptic ulcers and promoting weight gain in people with eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa.
Some people use zinc for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), male infertility, erectile dysfunction (ED), weak bones (osteoporosis), rheumatoid arthritis, and muscle cramps associated with liver disease. It is also used for sickle cell disease and inherited disorders such as acrodermatitis enteropathica, thalassemia, and Wilson's disease.
Most of the body's zinc is found in muscles, where its use in cell building and repair is helpful particularly after a workout.
When we exercise, especially in weight-training, we put our muscles under strain and in order for them to grow, we literally rip them apart and build new cells in the tears. As a result, a bigger muscle is created. Zinc is needed for this cell growth and rip-repair and is therefore used as a supplement by some who exercise for this purpose.
Zinc is useful in muscles not only for its use in cell building and repair. It's also important here because it is an antioxidant mineral. Muscle cells create a lot of energy when they are active, and this process of energy production creates health-damaging free radicals as a byproduct. As an antioxidant mineral, zinc is a free radical antidote which is helpful in obliterating free radicals and keeping the body healthy.
Zinc plays an important role in "bone mineralization", the process in which minerals are bound to the bone matrix to help harden and strengthen the bone tissue. There are a couple of enzymes which are vital in bone maintenance which need zinc, including alkaline phosphatase and collagenase. Zinc also regulates the production of a hormone called calcitonin which helps regulate bone health.
Zinc's use in bone health comes in useful when healing broken bones when taking a zinc supplement could be of benefit.
Zinc also plays role in keeping tooth enamel strong and cavity-free.
A time when a lot of new cells are made is whenever there is growth. So children and teens use up a lot of zinc to make new cells! Not only this, but zinc may also be needed to make growth hormone.
One of the first discoveries of the essentiality of zinc found that children who didn't have enough zinc didn't grow properly and dwarfism resulted.
Skin is constantly renewing as old cells are shed, and new cells grow to replace them. Since zinc is needed for cell building, it is essential for healthy skin.
Zinc also plays a role in enabling vitamin A function, another vitamin which keeps skin healthy.
If ever you have a wound, a cut, or a burn, zinc is very important in sealing up and repairing the damage. It is also useful for treating acne, psoriasis, dandruff, boils, dermatitis, dry skin, bedsores, and recovery from surgery. All of these could benefit from zinc supplementation.
Because it helps cells grow and because it is needed for the production of keratin, zinc is very helpful in maintaining healthy hair and nails. It can be used where there is hair loss, poor hair growth, and unhealthy nails, although care should be taken because excessively high doses of zinc (usually over 50mg a day) can cause hair loss. Getting just the right amount of a nutrient is a fine balancing act sometimes.
Our insides are full of tubes and surfaces which are made of cells, all of which need healthy cell production and maintenance that is enabled by zinc.
For example, the gut wall and all the intestinal tubes, and the walls of blood vessels, all need healthy cell production to function well.
This means that if you have an ulcer of some kind, whether it be a mouth ulcer or a more serious ulcer in your gut, or if you have a leaky gut, zinc would be useful to help repair this.
Zinc also strengthens the lining of bronchioles, lungs and just about all other tissues in the body.
Because zinc helps the body build cells, it is very important in building your immune cells which protect your from disease.
Zinc is one of the main nutrients needed when you have a cold, or another illness, because your body uses it up very quickly in the process of making immune cells to fight the intruding germs! So supplementing with zinc when you next have a cold or some other bug will be a good idea! It can also help protect the body from warts and speed up recovery from herpes, and other viruses, bacteria, fungi and baddies. Any case of excessive microorganisms in the body can be helped by zinc, to rally the immune system to fight these bugs. So conditions like bad breath, body odor, foot odor, gum disease, high amounts of tooth decay, and dysbiosis can all be helped by zinc supplementation.
Any condition where immune cells are imbalanced can also be helped by zinc, because zinc can help make the cells which are deficient. For example, the Th2 dominance disorders: asthma, allergies, eczema, hayfever, CFS, Crohn's disease and Ulcerative Colitis (to name but a few), can all be helped by zinc supplementation.
With allergy-type conditions, zinc may be particularly helpful because it may also inhibit allergic inflammation by inhibiting histamine release, and helping reduce inflammation by promoting anti-inflammatory chemical production (called eicosanoids).
Not only is zinc important in building reproductive cells for normal sexual function and development, but zinc is also a part of semen. When semen is lost, so too is zinc. This is partly why men need a little more zinc than women.
Zinc is one of the first nutrients to think of in cases of infertility.
Another time when many new cells are being produced is in pregnancy and lactation. Zinc helps support cell production at these important times.
As mentioned above, zinc acts as an antioxidant mineral to fight against damaging free radicals which we come in contact with every day. Zinc does this by encouraging the production of enzymes that break down free radicals, SOD (super oxide dismutase). Zinc also helps form a molecule called glutathione which helps to mop up free radicals by absorbing them thus neutralizing them.
Because zinc is an antioxidant mineral, it helps prevent all sorts of free-radical-driven diseases including cataracts, aging, sun-damaged skin, atherosclerosis, age-related macular degeneration and cancer, amongst others.
Free radicals aren't the only baddies that zinc helps your body detoxify. Zinc also helps the body eliminate some heavy metals like arsenic, cadmium, mercury and lead, and also aids the body metabolise and get rid of alcohol. Since a lot of zinc is used up to detox alcohol, it is really important to top up zinc in heavy drinkers.
By protecting the body from all these damaging toxins, zinc also helps protect the liver from problems like cirrhosis and liver damage.
Zinc helps make both stomach acid, and some of the digestive enzymes made by the pancreas (e.g. carboxypolypeptidase). Both of these are essential for good digestion.
For this reason, zinc is useful in treating heartburn that is commonly caused by low stomach acid, and a wide range of other conditions caused by low stomach acid.
Over 100 enzymes in our body need zinc to function, so zinc plays an important role in maintaining healthy functioning of a lot of processes in our body, from protein synthesis, to carbohydrate metabolism and DNA synthesis. It also helps maintain the body pH and aids in the production of a range of hormones in the body including sex hormones e.g. testosterone, stress hormones e.g. cortisol and insulin.
Zinc is needed to make insulin, the hormone which helps us regulate blood sugar levels. Healthy insulin production is incredibly important in maintaining healthy blood sugar levels, keeping good energy levels, and in controlling cravings, amongst other things.
Zinc plays a role in energy production because it helps make enzymes needed to make energy, like lactate dehydrogenase.
Zinc's wide array of housekeeping uses and cell-building skills, in organs that regulate energy (e.g. the thyroid) make it a crucial part of energy production.
People with low zinc levels can feel lethargic and low on stamina.
Zinc is responsible for a list of functions including helping us be able to taste, smell, hear, and have a good appetite.
Zinc also plays a role in the production of omega 3 fatty acids in the brain which are important in brain functioning. For this reason, zinc is useful in treating ADHD, alzheimer's disease, apathy, autism, dyslexia, depression, schizophrenia, and in boosting attention, learning and memory.
The enzyme 5 alpha reductase converts testosterone to DHT, which has been implicated in hair loss and prostate enlargement. By inhibiting this enzyme, zinc may be able to inhibit these processes.
Zinc deficiency is not uncommon worldwide, but is rare in the US. Zinc deficiency affects about two billion people in the developing world and is associated with many diseases. Symptoms include slowed growth; low insulin levels; loss of appetite; irritability; generalized hair loss; rough and dry skin; skin problems such as acne, atopic dermatitis and psoriasis; slow wound healing; poor sense of taste and smell; diarrhea and nausea; lack of menstrual period; night blindness; white spots on the fingernails; and depression.
Moderate zinc deficiency is associated with disorders of the intestine which interfere with food absorption (malabsorption syndromes, such as Crohn's disease or celiac disease), alcoholism, chronic kidney failure, and chronic debilitating diseases. Other groups at risk of zinc deficiency include people with gastrointestinal and other diseases, vegetarians, pregnant and lactating women, people with sickle cell disease, and older infants who are exclusively breastfed. In children zink deficiency causes growth retardation, delayed sexual maturation, infection susceptibility, and diarrhea, contributing to the death of about 800,000 children worldwide per year. Consumption of excess zinc can cause ataxia, lethargy and copper deficiency.
Zinc plays a key role in maintaining vision, and it is present in high concentrations in the eye. Zinc deficiency can alter vision, and severe deficiency can cause changes in the retina (the back of the eye where an image is focused).
Zinc might also have effects against viruses. It appears to lessen symptoms of the rhinovirus (common cold), but researchers can't yet explain exactly how this works. In addition, there is some evidence that zinc has some antiviral activity against the herpes virus.
Low zinc levels can be associated with male infertility, sickle cell disease, HIV, major depression, and type 2 diabetes, and can be fought and treated by taking a zinc supplements. To prevent a zinc deficiency, zinc-containing foods or supplements may be the answer (see "Zinc Rich Foods").
Your body absorbs 20 - 40% of the zinc present in food. Zinc from animal foods like red meat, fish, and poultry is more readily absorbed by the body than zinc from plant foods. Zinc is best absorbed when taken with a meal that contains protein.
The best sources of zinc are oysters (richest source), red meats, poultry, cheese (ricotta, Swiss, gouda), shrimp, crab, and other shellfish. Other good, though less easily absorbed, sources of zinc include legumes (especially lima beans, black-eyed peas, pinto beans, soybeans, peanuts), whole grains, miso, tofu, brewer's yeast, cooked greens, mushrooms, green beans, tahini, and pumpkin, nuts, sunflower seeds, certain types of seafood (such as crab and lobster), whole grains, fortified breakfast cereals, and dairy products.
|
Food |
Milligrams (mg) |
Percent DV* |
|---|---|---|
|
Oysters, cooked, breaded and fried, 3 ounces |
74.0 |
493 |
|
Beef chuck roast, braised, 3 ounces |
7.0 |
47 |
|
Crab, Alaska king, cooked, 3 ounces |
6.5 |
43 |
|
Beef patty, broiled, 3 ounces |
5.3 |
35 |
|
Breakfast cereal, fortified with 25% of the DV for zinc, ¾ cup serving |
3.8 |
25 |
|
Lobster, cooked, 3 ounces |
3.4 |
23 |
|
Pork chop, loin, cooked, 3 ounces |
2.9 |
19 |
|
Baked beans, canned, plain or vegetarian, ½ cup |
2.9 |
19 |
|
Chicken, dark meat, cooked, 3 ounces |
2.4 |
16 |
|
Yogurt, fruit, low fat, 8 ounces |
1.7 |
11 |
|
Cashews, dry roasted, 1 ounce |
1.6 |
11 |
|
Chickpeas, cooked, ½ cup |
1.3 |
9 |
|
Cheese, Swiss, 1 ounce |
1.2 |
8 |
|
Oatmeal, instant, plain, prepared with water, 1 packet |
1.1 |
7 |
|
Milk, low-fat or non fat, 1 cup |
1.0 |
7 |
|
Almonds, dry roasted, 1 ounce |
0.9 |
6 |
|
Kidney beans, cooked, ½ cup |
0.9 |
6 |
|
Chicken breast, roasted, skin removed, ½ breast |
0.9 |
6 |
|
Cheese, cheddar or mozzarella, 1 ounce |
0.9 |
6 |
|
Peas, green, frozen, cooked, ½ cup |
0.5 |
3 |
|
Flounder or sole, cooked, 3 ounces |
0.3 |
2 |
* DV = Daily Value. Daily Values were developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to help consumers compare the nutrient contents of products within the context of a total diet. The DV for zinc is 15 mg for adults and children age 4 and older. Food labels, however, are not required to list zinc content unless a food has been fortified with this nutrient. Foods providing 20% or more of the DV are considered to be high sources of a nutrient.
Zinc is available in several forms. Zinc sulfate is the least expensive form, but it is the least easily absorbed and may cause stomach upset.
More easily absorbed forms of zinc are zinc picolinate, zinc citrate, zinc acetate, zinc glycerate, and zinc monomethionine. If zinc sulfate causes stomach irritation, you can try another form, such as zinc citrate.
The amount of elemental zinc is listed on the product label (usually 30 - 50 mg). To determine the amount to take in supplement form, remember that you get about 10 - 15 mg from food.
Zinc lozenges, used for treating colds, are available in most drug stores. There are also nasal sprays developed to reduce nasal and sinus congestion, although they may have some safety issues (see "Side Effects").
You should take zinc with water or juice. If zinc causes stomach upset, it can be taken with meals. Don't take zinc at the same time as iron or calcium supplements.
A strong relationship exists between zinc and copper. Too much of one can cause a deficiency in the other. If you take zinc, including zinc in a multivitamin, you should also take copper.
Do not give zinc supplements to a child without talking to your doctor.
Daily intake of dietary zinc (according to the National Academy of Sciences) are listed below:
Pediatric
Infants birth - 6 months: 2 mg (AI)
Infants 7 - 12 months: 3 mg (RDA)
Children 1 - 3 years: 3 mg (RDA)
Children 4 - 8 years: 5 mg (RDA)
Children 9 - 13 years: 8 mg (RDA)
Boys 14 - 18 years: 11 mg (RDA)
Girls 14 - 18 years: 9 mg (RDA)
Adult
Men 19 years and older: 11 mg (RDA)
Women 19 years and older: 8 mg (RDA)
Pregnant women 14 - 18 years: 12 mg (RDA)
Pregnant women 19 years and older: 11 mg (RDA)
Breastfeeding women 14 - 18 years: 13 mg (RDA)
Breastfeeding women 19 years and older: 12 mg (RDA)
You should not take high doses of zinc for more than a few days unless your doctor tells you to. Talk to your doctor before taking more than 40 mg of zinc per day.
The following doses have been studied in scientific research:
BY MOUTH:
For treating the common cold: one zinc gluconate or acetate lozenge, providing 9-24 mg elemental zinc, dissolved in the mouth every two hours while awake when cold symptoms are present.
For diarrhea in malnourished or zinc-deficient children: 10-40 mg elemental zinc daily.
For preventing and treating pneumonia in undernourished children in developing countries: 10-70 mg/day.
For hypogeusia (sense of taste is abnormal): 25-100 mg zinc.
For the eating disorder anorexia nervosa: 100 mg of zinc gluconate daily.
For treating stomach ulcers: zinc sulfate 200 mg three times daily.
For muscle cramps in zinc deficient people with liver disease: zinc sulfate 220 mg twice daily.
For osteoporosis: 15 mg zinc combined with 5 mg manganese, 1000 mg calcium, and 2.5 mg copper has been used.
For sickle cell disease: zinc sulfate 220 mg three times daily.
To increase growth and weight gain in children with sickle cell disease who have not reached puberty: 10 mg elemental zinc per day.
For treating attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children: doses of zinc sulfate 55 mg (15 mg elemental zinc) to 150 mg (40 mg elemental zinc) daily.
For treating acne: 30-135 mg elemental zinc daily.
For treating age-related macular degeneration (AMD): elemental zinc 80 mg plus vitamin C 500 mg, vitamin E 400 IU, and beta-carotene 15 mg daily.
The typical North American
male consumes about 13 mg/day of dietary zinc; women consume
approximately 9 mg/day.
The Tolerable Upper Intake Levels
(UL*) of zinc for people who are not receiving zinc under medical
supervision: Infants birth to 6 months, 4 mg/day; 7 to 12 months, 5
mg/day; children 1 to 3 years, 7 mg/day; 4 to 8 years, 12 mg/day; 9
to 13 years, 23 mg/day; 14 to 18 years (including pregnancy and
lactation), 34 mg/day; adults 19 years and older (including pregnancy
and lactation), 40 mg/day.
* Tolerable upper intake
levels (UL), to caution against excessive intake of nutrients (like
vitamin A) that can be harmful in large amounts. UL is the highest
level of daily consumption that current data have shown to cause no
side effects in humans when used indefinitely without medical
supervision.
Different salt forms provide different amounts of
elemental zinc. Zinc sulfate contains 23% elemental zinc; 220 mg zinc
sulfate contains 50 mg zinc. Zinc gluconate contains 14.3% elemental
zinc; 10 mg zinc gluconate contains 1.43 mg zinc.
APPLIED
TO THE SKIN:
For acne vulgaris: zinc acetate 1.2% with erythromycin 4% as a lotion applied twice daily.
For herpes simplex infections: zinc sulfate 0.25% applied 8 to 10 times daily or zinc oxide 0.3% with glycine applied every 2 hours while awake.
Common side effects of zinc include stomach upset, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, metallic taste in the mouth, kidney and stomach damage, and other side effects. High doses of zinc can cause fever, dizziness, headache, coughing, stomach pain, drowsiness, fatigue, increased sweating, loss of muscle coordination, alcohol intolerance, hallucinations, anemia, and many other problems. Using zinc on broken skin may cause burning, stinging, itching, and tingling.
Very high doses of zinc may actually weaken immune function. High doses of zinc may also lower HDL ("good") cholesterol and raise LDL ("bad") cholesterol.
One case report cited severe nausea and vomiting within 30 minutes of ingesting 4 g of zinc gluconate (570 mg elemental zinc). Intakes of 150–450 mg of zinc per day have been associated with such chronic effects as low copper status, altered iron function, reduced immune function, and reduced levels of high-density lipoproteins. Reductions in a copper-containing enzyme, a marker of copper status, have been reported with even moderately high zinc intakes of approximately 60 mg/day for up to 10 weeks.
Some people who have used certain zinc nasal sprays to treat a cold have lost their sense of smell. Talk to your doctor before using a zinc nasal spray.
Research has shown that less than 40 mg a day is a safe amount to take over time, but researchers are not sure what happens if more is taken over a long period. Routine zinc supplementation is not recommended without the advice of a healthcare professional.
If you are being treated with any of the following medications, you should not use zinc without first talking to your health care provider.
Amiloride (Midamor) -- Amiloride is a potassium-sparing diuretic (water pill) that may increase the levels of zinc in your blood. Do not take zinc supplements if you take amiloride.
Blood pressure medications, ACE Inhibitors -- A class of medications called ACE inhibitors, used to treat high blood pressure, may decrease the levels of zinc in your blood. ACE inhibitors include.
Antibiotics -- Zinc may decrease your body's absorption of two kinds of antibiotics, quinolones and tetracyclines.
Cisplatin (Platinol-AQ) -- This drug, used for chemotherapy to treat some types of cancers, may cause more zinc to be lost in your urine. If you are undergoing chemotherapy, do not take zinc or any other supplement without talking to your oncologist.
Deferoxamine (Desferal) -- This medication, used to remove excess iron from the blood, also increases the amount of zinc that is lost in urine.
Immunosuppressant medications -- Since zinc may make the immune system stronger, it should not be taken with corticosteroids (such as prednisone), cyclosporine, or other medications intended to suppress the immune system.
Penicillamine -- This medication, used to treat Wilson's disease (where excess copper builds up in the brain, liver, kidney, and eyes) and rheumatoid arthritis, decreases the levels of zinc in your blood.
Thiazide diuretics (water pills) -- These medications lower the amount of zinc in your blood by increasing the amount of zinc that is passed in your urine. If you take thiazide diuretics, your doctor will monitor levels of zinc and other important minerals in your blood.
The following reviews have been selected:
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Reason for taking: Diarrhea
Reviewer: panther..., 35-44 Female, 1/6/2012 9:19:38 AM
Effectiveness: Current Rating: 5
Ease of Use: Current Rating: 5
Satisfaction: Current Rating: 4
Comment:
After being diagnosed with IBS-D, and trying everything possible, I came across an article talking about Zinc. They were focused on treating children in foreign countries to help with chronic diarrhea and I thought Why Not? I started taking a 50mg a day Zinc supplement, and I have not had a bought of Diarrhea since I started taking them 6 days ago. For someone who has suffered daily with severe D for years, this is amazing! I may have to play with the dosage a bit, as I have noticed that too much can cause constipation. Overall, it is a harmless supplement, and if you suffer from IBS-D I would suggest giving it a try.
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Reason for taking: Herpes simplex
Reviewer: chris, 35-44 Male, 9/27/2011 11:16:52 PM
Effectiveness: Current Rating: 4
Ease of Use: Current Rating: 5
Satisfaction: Current Rating: 4
Comment:
I find at the bginning of cold sore i take 10 mgs of zince in morning and night, for several days. I find that it reduces the size and duration of cold sore.
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Reason for taking: Psoriasis
Reviewer: Mime454, 13-18 Male, 9/23/2011 10:02:08 PM
Effectiveness: Current Rating: 5
Ease of Use: Current Rating: 5
Satisfaction: Current Rating: 5
Comment:
I'm not sure what this drug did, but about 10% of my skin was covered with Psoriasis, and after a few weeks of this treatment it is completely gone! [Wonderful] cure for me, though it hasn't worked for others I know.
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Very effective. 2nd time buyer, July 25, 2011
By
foodandcomputers
I had moderate acne on the cheeks and chin area (testosterone based). In the past, regular 50mg zinc from CVS helped tremendously but it tastes like poison and would upset my stomach if I didn't take it with a FULL meal. [A special zinc product for acne] ... I 'feel' is much better than the CVS one. It doesn't upset my stomach, doesn't taste like poison and has cleared my acne (in conjunction with other products). It also has other ingredients that prevent acne- I didn't research the other ingredients but I have seen them referred to quite ofte... I take one during lunch and one during dinner. I just finished my first bottle and ordered another one yesterday.
I am taking this in combination with B6, a multivitamin and fish oil. I use proactive as my topical treatment. Modified daily habits are - no diary, avoiding foods high in GI... My acne is 99% clear- i'm just working on the few red marks now... I started this routine in April of this year and now I am clear and my face is like =]
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Reason for taking: Common cold
Reviewer: jw, 45-54 Female, 2/9/2011 7:03:25 PM
Effectiveness: Current Rating: 4
Ease of Use: Current Rating: 3
Satisfaction: Current Rating: 4
Comment:
Many times I have headed off a cold or the duration of my cold was shorten. I have found it to be effective.
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Reason for taking: Common cold
Reviewer: Lsmith, 55-64 Male, 12/31/2010 2:44:48 AM
Effectiveness: Current Rating: 5
Ease of Use: Current Rating: 4
Satisfaction: Current Rating: 5
Comment:
[Zinc] applied as nasal gel. Impressive in stopping a cold from getting started and effective in shortening a cold if it has already taken hold. This is the only treatment I have found that truly affects the length and severity of colds. I have had a hard time finding in stores this last year since reports of loss of some sense of smell. Totally safe if used as directed.
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Reason for taking: Other
Reviewer: grogust, 65-74 Male, 1/30/2009 10:04:21 AM
Effectiveness: Current Rating: 3
Ease of Use: Current Rating: 5
Satisfaction: Current Rating: 4
Comment:
i read that zinc is good for treating tennitis. it seem to quite the hissing in my ear.
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