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Zinc is an important trace mineral that serves both  as an antioxidant and an oxidant. It is also an essential mineral in which you can easily overdose on. If your body is having difficulty absorbing it, then it is no longer a trace mineral, but an irritant poison. Zinc is not one of those trace minerals that does wonders on its own. It serves as a structural support alongside other minerals. It is needed to help boost testosterone, sex drive, brain function; strengthen gut lining and immune system boosting. It is a helper and needs help helping.

Alas! If you have a zinc deficiency you have a mineral deficiency of every mineral in your body. Interestingly, too much zinc also depletes all minerals in your body. Zinc’s role is also a stealer of other minerals.
If you are planning on taking zinc as a supplement, beware. Those sexually active men need zinc; the standard American diet depletes zinc — but too much isolated zinc can in men cause prostate cancer. If you are taking 25 mg to 50 mg of zinc per day, beware. Copper is needed to regulate zinc and too much zinc depletes copper in the liver. This copper loss can lead to liver damage. If you have a zinc deficiency, then you have a zinc deficiency not because you need more zinc but because you need more of every single mineral that the human body requires.

Zinc is one of those mineral that is easy to lose if you are not getting enough from the diet. However, using synthetic supplement is a no no for wisdom’s sake.  I was once taking a supplement called Oysterzinc, made from real oysters obtained in the Atlantic waters on along Ireland’s coastline. But apparently, that supplement is no longer available. Now I’ve found some other zinc supplements — stated to come from real food.  One such supplement is from a company named Food Research. Their zinc product is called Zinc Complex. Another company named Nutrigold has a zinc product called Zinc Gold. Their product statement is: “Plant-based zinc from non-GMO verified, organic foods to support immune, reproductive, cognitive, gastrointestinal, and eye health.” Food Research contains 18.75 mg of zinc per capsule, while Nutrigold contains 15 mg per capsule. Since the recommended dietary intake (RDI) of zinc is only 8 mg  for women and 11 mg for men, I think the milligrams offered on these supplements are too high. So I only supplement trice per week on Food Research Zinc Complex — or the same with Nutrigold; rather than everyday. I think you should too!

So do we need to supplement on zinc? The answer is: unless it is food-based, no! This reality took months for me to personally accept. We should not be taking zinc supplements [avoid zinc oxide and picolinate especially] unless it is derived from food or whole-food supplements. It is one of those trace minerals that needs to form in the body naturally from natural things rather than be taken with artificial components. Taking high doses of isolated zinc can wreak havoc on our body’s metabolic state and deteriorate our body’s general homeostasis. Zinc is a helper trace mineral, that needs help helping!