Why Zinc For Virus Prevention…

Zinc has been once again in the news recently as a possible treatment additive to stop COVID-19.

Most of us have had a cold and have wondered if there was anything that we could do to prevent these types of infections. Or better yet, maybe find a way to decrease how long these symptoms last. If you have ever had these questions keep reading.

According to healthline,“A deficiency in this nutrient significantly affects your immune system’s ability to function properly, resulting in an increased risk of infection and disease, including pneumonia…

Zinc deficiency affects around 2 billion people worldwide and is very common in older adults. In fact, up to 30% of older adults are considered deficient in this nutrient”.

Yes- It Works.

Researchers looked at 13 randomized placebo-controlled trials and found that Zinc does in fact work. It was shown to reduce how frequently people got colds. In addition, it was shown to shorten how long cold symptoms lasted.

A couple of the studies demonstrated that adults needed to take at least 75mg of Zinc per day to provide these benefits. Many practitioners typically recommend 100mg per day to adults but this dose can vary based on your own individual needs. Lower doses of zinc can also be given to children however it is based specifically on their weight.

Side effects from Zinc are rare with metallic taste being noted by researchers as the most frequent. High levels of zinc can raise copper levels in the body to dangerous levels.

Given the wide availability of Zinc this may be something to consider for cold and virus season. As always, please discuss any treatment with your provider before starting it. If you would like to see if you have optimal zinc levels please schedule an appointment below. Take care!