8 benefits of taking zinc

Sophia Power, BA Media

Quick overview

• Zinc has many health benefits including supporting your immune system, antioxidant activity, healthy hair and nails and brain function
• Other benefits of taking zinc are support for healthy eyesight, sperm production, foetal development and growth and development in kids
• Try to incorporate zinc-rich foods into your diet every day. To supplement your dietary intake, you could consider Fusion Zinc Advanced

If you’re someone who gets excited about the latest health trends, cool tonics or strange things to add to your coffee, zinc might not seem that exciting. It’s just a little trace mineral that’s been around since the beginning of time - no big deal, right? In actual fact, zinc can have a big impact on your health.

So, what are the benefits of taking zinc? These eight reasons just might inspire you to focus on incorporating more zinc into your daily regime (before or after your mushroom latte - it doesn’t really matter).

1. Zinc for immunity

Keeping your immune system in tip-top shape comes down to fine-tuning a handful of basics. One of those basics is, yep, you guessed it, making sure you’re getting enough zinc in your diet. 

Zinc works to maintain healthy immune system function by supporting the healthy activity of immune cells, including your white blood cells.¹

2. Zinc and its antioxidant benefits

A balance between antioxidants and free radicals in the body is key, and zinc provides antioxidant benefits to help reduce free radical formation in the body.

Ensuring you have plenty of antioxidants in the form of plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet is another way to reduce the formation of free radicals in the body.²

3. Zinc for healthy hair

If your hair needs some love or your nails could do with some strengthening, then zinc could be the mineral for you. Supporting healthy hair and strong nails is possible by ensuring you have a diet filled with plenty of protein, healthy fats and zinc. This important mineral is also helpful for supporting skin health and wound healing.

4. Zinc: support for healthy eyesight 

Zinc might not give you foresight but it may help to support healthy vision! This important mineral is involved in maintaining healthy eyesight and retina health.

So, don’t forget to add some zinc-rich foods into your diet such as oysters, sardines, eggs, almonds or wholegrains to support healthy eyesight. 

5. Dad-to-be? Think zinc for healthy sperm production

It’s important for males to have the correct nutrients to support the production of healthy sperm. Zinc is also an important nutrient for men to support reproductive system health.

6. Zinc and pregnancy 

If you’re pregnant or considering becoming pregnant in the near future, there’s certainly a lot to think about. Knowing which nutrients you’ll need is a foundational choice to set you on the path. 

Zinc is one nutrient to consider as it’s important for supporting healthy foetal development.  If you’re also dutifully eating high folate foods, zinc also helpful, because it supports your body’s absorption of dietary folate to make the most out of those leafy green, folate-rich veggies.

7. Your brain needs zinc too 

Zinc is one of a handful of essential micronutrients that plays an important role in maintaining brain function. The neurons in the brain need zinc to communicate important information to other brain cells.

8. Childhood growth and development 

As a nutrient that is so important across many facets of adult life, zinc also supports those earlier years of childhood growth and development.

It’s important for children to get enough zinc, so if you’re having trouble fitting all those zinc-rich foods in their lunchbox, consider a supplement (for kids aged 6 and above) to support them as they grow and develop. 

By now you’ve probably finished your mushroom latte and you’re excited about this incredible mineral. If you’d like to add a little zinc to your life by supplementing your dietary intake, Fusion Zinc Advanced offers a readily absorbed zinc glycinate based formula, complete with vitamins B6 and C for extra support for immune and skin health.

Always read the label. Follow the directions for use. If symptoms persist, worsen or change unexpectedly, talk to your health professional. Vitamins and minerals can only be of assistance if dietary intake is inadequate.

References:

1. Prasad, AS. Mol Med 2008;14(5-6):353-357.

2. Brooks, A. Last updated August 2019, accessed May 2021 from https://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-nutrition/high-antioxidant-foods-that-prove-food-is-medicine/