Zinc, A Masculine Element

By Lawrence Wilson, MD

© Revised, June 2008, The Center For Development

Zinc is one of the most interesting minerals. It is probably needed for hundreds of enzyme reactions in our bodies.

It is required for functions such as one’s eyesight, hearing, health of the skin, hair, nails, connective tissue and more.

Zinc is also involved in protein synthesis, a vital function, where it is required for a key enzyme in RNA synthesis. This enzyme is RNA Transferase, one of only a few enzymes that require more than one trace element for their entire metabolic transformational power. Now let us examine the functions of zinc in more detail.

FUNCTIONS OF ZINC AND DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS

Zinc plays so many important roles in the body they are hard to count. Instead of just listing them, I will list some of the major symptoms we find are associated with zinc imbalance. I use the word imbalance rather than deficiency because the metabolism of zinc is tied closely to the metabolism of copper, selenium, chromium and other minerals.

Also, toxic metals replace zinc in enzyme binding sites. Therefore, the metabolism of zinc is also closely tied to the levels in the body of metals such as cadmium, arsenic and lead, to name just a few of the toxic metals that can interfere and block the enzyes that should contain an atom of zinc.

Also zinc metabolism is intertwined with hormonal function, as we will see later. These make identifying zinc deficiency quite complex, in fact, and this is also discussed later.

Symptoms of Zinc Deficiency. I have divided these into some of the more important categories for simplicity.

Skin. These are some of the most visible symptoms. They include white spots on the fingernails, although there are a few other causes of this symptom. Others include stretch marks on the skin, varicose veins, a variety of skin conditions including many kinds of dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis at times and many others.

Acne is often related to zinc deficiency during the teenage years when much more is needed, especially by the boys. Zinc prevents skin infections and when it is needed elsewhere during growth spurts, skin infections proliferate and acne is one of them.

Girls experience even more acne at times of the month because their period regulates zinc and copper levels. When copper is higher than zinc, acne develops in many cases and is a good symptom of a need for zinc and other minerals as well.

Menstrual and Female Reproductive Difficulties. Zinc and copper are maintained in a delicate balance. Many menstrual irregularities such as PMS are related to imbalances in this area. We recommend zinc therapy, for example, for many cases of premenstrual syndrome and even for certain menopausal symptoms associated with so-called estrogen dominance. Zinc has a moderating effect on these health conditions that is sometimes remarkable.

Other conditions include cessation of the period in younger women who should have menstrual cycles, acne related to the period, and even some cramping associated with menstruation.

Growth And Development Of The Fetus. Another area in which zinc is critical is for growth and development, both intra-uterine and after birth. Thus, symptoms from birth defects to developmental delays of all kinds often have zinc imbalance as part of the cause. Another area is growth as one gets older. Short stature, delayed testicular development and other growth problems often have zinc as a part or the entirety of the cause.

Male Reproductive System. Another area is the male prostate gland, which requires a lot of zinc. Seminal fluid or sperm contains significant quantities of zinc. Therefore, most male reproductive and prostate problems have zinc deficiency as part of the cause.

Prostate conditions include prostatitis, enlarged prostate, prostate cancer and other metabolic conditions related to male infertility. These include erectile dysfunction and some male hormone imbalances such as low testosterone and perhaps other hormone-related conditions in men.

Vision. Another area in which deficiency of zinc can cause symptoms is the area of vision. Macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa and night blindness, among other eye problems, are often related to zinc imbalances.

The retina of the eye is one of the riches tissues in zinc in the human body and one of the tissues most dependent on zinc, along with the male prostate gland.

The Brain. Another area in which zinc is critical is the brain. For this reason, other symptoms of zinc problems include hyperactivity, ADD and ADHD, anxiety, irritability, nervousness, emotional instability, mood swings, bipolar disorder and many other mental and emotional symptoms. Conditions such as epilepsy, seizures, schizophrenia and other severe emotional disturbances often have zinc deficiency as a part of their cause.

Immune Response. Zinc is critical for this area of functioning, both in humans and in animals. Those with AIDS, in particular, often benefit from zinc supplementation. Vegetarians often develop more infections for this reason, though they may not be apparent. Zinc is often given for colds, flu and many acute infections as it is generally though not always helpful. In part, it depends on copper as well, another mineral criical for the immune response of the body.

SOURCES OF ZINC AND A WORLDWIDE ZINC DEFICIENCY

One of the problems with zinc is the lack of reliable sources in today’s world. Many of the world’s soils are zinc deficient. Also, hybrid crops produce more food per acre, but have much less zinc in them in general because zinc is not added in suffieicnt amounts to the soil. Also, when flour, sugar and other stapes are refined, zinc and other trace elements are removed.

Thus, zinc deficiency is rampant and almost universal. zinc is found mainly in red meats. It is found in chicken, turkey and even fish to some degree, as it is involved with all animal enzyme systems to some extrent.

However, it is not found much in the vegetable kingdom, and for good reason. It is not required there as much. Among the vegetarian sources are pumpkin seeds and a few other vegetables such as kelp, dulse and other sea vegetables. However, in general vegetarians are low in zinc, some dangerously so because it is hard to obtain and utilize from vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and other vegetarian foods.

Other sources of zinc include skin ointments such as zinc oxide, Caladril and many, many others. Zinc is used often in these products because it has a soothing and healing effect on the skin. This is covered in more depth in the sections below.

Head And Shoulders shampoo is also quite high in zinc. It is not the best form of zinc, but some is absorbed from the product. Zinc here is used to help overcome problems with dandruff, which is a fungal infection of the scalp. Zinc is excellent for this purpose, as is selenium found in Selsun blue Shampoo.

IDENTIFYING ZINC PROBLEMS

There are several ways to assess zinc status in the body. Serum blood tests are useless, in general, as zinc does not accumulate in the blood serum.

A few holistic doctors use white blood cell or even red blood cell zinc levels to assess total body zinc. This is interesting and provides some valuable information. However, it is not the method used in nutritional balancing science. We are far less concerned about the total body load of zinc and more concerned with the exact way to supplement zinc at a given time. This can change in weeks or months. Therefore, we use the hair analysis in a very special way to evaluate the need for zinc supplementation and to determine zinc status.

Urine and feces. These methods of assessing zinc are not considered reliable because they depend too much on the last day’s meals, for example, and other factors such as absorption of dietary zinc.

ZINC SUPPLEMENTATION

I suggest a zinc supplement for everyone. Also, zinc should be in the diet, which means eating animal protein each day. Otherwise, zinc deficiency is likely.

Hair tests often indicate an adequate level of zinc and this is deceptive, in my experience. The hair zinc level can identify a serious zinc deficiency when it is below about 13 mg%. however, when it is greater than 13 mg% one can still have a severe low tissue zinc.

Using the Na/K to assess the need for zinc. Dr. Eck brilliantly decided to use the Na/K ratio to quantify the need for extra zinc. As a rule, the higher the ratio above about 2.5:1, the more zinc we supplement. The amount varies from about 20 mg daily to over 130 mg daily.

An elevated hair zinc level. An elevated hair zinc level usually indicates a loss or a deposition of zinc in the hair tissue. In our experience, it is usually a compensation for elevated tissue copper or a high level of some other toxic metal. The body may use zinc as a chelating agent for the other metal, or its presence may in some other way protect the body from the ravages of the other toxic metal.

ZINC TOXICITY

Simple Zinc Overload. This is rare and only occurs in zinc miners and others who are exposed to large amounts of zinc ore and zinc dust. There is simply not excessive zinc in the soil, the food, the air, water and other common places that overload would occur easily.

This is not the case, for example, with copper, manganese, chromium, selenium or iron. Here outright overdoses are more likely, though relatively infrequent, also. However, zinc overload symptoms do occur and quite frequently for a different reason having more to do with the antagonism between zinc and copper.

Biounvailable Zinc With Copper Depletion. This situation is far more common than simple zinc toxicity. It will give the same signs and symptoms as a zinc overload mixed with symptoms of zinc deficiency, however.

This situation occurs when one takes too much zinc for a prolonged period of time, or even a short time if one is prone to this problem. It results in the depletion of the body’ copper stores.

The symptoms arise from copper depletion along with higher relative levels of zinc. While foods contain copper, often it not enough if one is taking over 100 mg of zinc daily for several weeks or more.

Zinc overdose symptoms. These will vary a lot depending on the person. They may include prostatitis, vision problems, skin difficulties and more. Emotional symptoms may also occur. One can read about zinc symptoms elsewhere in this article. The remedy for the problem, oddly enough, is to take copper or reduce zinc intake. This usually causes symptoms to clear in a matter of days.

RELATIONSHIPS TO OTHER MINERALS

CALCIUM, MAGNESIUM AND POTASSIUM

The Sedative Minerals. Zinc, along with calcium and magnesium, are called sedatives because all three help inhibit excessive sympathetic nervous system activity. They all inhibit excessive brain activity. Zinc, in fact, is considered by some authorities to be a calming neurotransmitter in its own right.

Zinc tends to lower hair sodium levels. This is part of the anti-inflammatory action of zinc. The action of zinc in thise regard is more complex, but basically it reduces the inflammatory action associated with aldosterone secretion by the adrenal glands. This, in turn, helps lower the hair sodium level. None of these minerals will tend to affect serum levels, as these are regulated differently than the tissue levels of most minerals.

Zinc may raise or lower the hair calcium depending on the situation. In slow oxidizers, it usually helps lower calcium by helping to restore adrenal activity. Excessive zinc, however, may raise hair calcium by lowering sodium excessively.

In fast oxidizers, zinc has a parasympathetic effect that can help raise a low tissue calcium and balance elevated tissue sodium and potassium levels. Thus, overall, zinc tends to balance hair tissue calcium levels, just as it often balances potassium levels as well.

Zinc raises potassium in a slow oxidizer and tends to lower it in fast oxidizers. When the hair potassium level is low, taking zinc is far more effective in helping to raise it than taking potassium. Potassium is a sympathetic or excitatory mineral, which is not as helpful to restore the adrenal glands, providing one eats sufficient potassium, which most people do.

Zinc is calming and has a more powerful effect in assisting the adrenals to rest and rebuild. This in turn raises the potassium level.

Zinc powerfully lowers hair copper levels. Beware, however, of reading much into the hair tissue copper level, as many factors can skew this reading, just as many factors can skew a hair zinc reading.

Zinc and the other trace minerals. This becomes complex. Basically, zinc can inhibit the absorption of the other trace minerals such as manganese, chromium and others. This is due to “competitive inhibition” at the level of the intestines.

This means that the same transporters that adsorb zinc through the intestines are used by the body to adsorb the other trace minerals. Therefore, taking extra zinc may inhibit the adsorption of the others.

However, zinc is synergistic or synergetic with many other trace minerals such as selenium, chromium and others at other levels of metabolism. In other words, having enough zinc present helps these other minerals to be used properly, including even copper. This is one reason we often give zinc when we give copper. They work well together at certain functions in the body such as energy production in the krebs cycle and specifically the electron transport system.

ZINC AND MENTAL/EMOTIONAL HEALING

Zinc is critical for higher thought and higher mental functioning. This is a vital function in the animal world, which is why zinc is found mainly in animal products. The higher animals, in particular, have more zinc in their meats. It is one of the prime reasons why vegetarian diets are not recommended in my work.

Zinc and the cerebral cortex. Zinc is so important that it deserves an entire section of this article about its effect on the mind and brain. Essentially, zinc is able to activate the higher nerve centers of the brain. This is an amazing ability for a mineral. In medical and physiological terminology, we would say that zinc activates the cerebral cortex or “new brain” in the human and higher animals. It is one reason animals are able to have the cognitive abilities they do.

In the human being, zinc is even more critical as the cerebral cortex is even more fully developed. Since one of the functions of all our healing programs is to develop the brain power of a person, not simply heal the body, zinc has a special place in our nutritional balancing programs.

ZINC AND PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SEX CHARACTERISTICS

Zinc has a peculiar ability to bring out the sexual characteristics of both sexes, but particularly men. Thus zinc deficiency causes delayed or failed testicular development, feminization of the male body.

It can impact homosexual tendencies. I know this ia controversial area but Drd. Eck insisted it was the truth and I would tend to agree based on clinical experience in many cases. Much more can be said about this but not in this article at this time.

Another area it affects is female reproductive or menstrual function, as mentioned above under symptoms such as premenstrual tension and others.

Zinc also directly affects the prostate gland as mentioned above. Seminal fluid is very rich in zinc, as are the sperm themselves. Zinc deficiency can lower male fertility significantly and has done so in America and around the world. It is responsible for some of the decline in the male fertility around the world and is quite simple to remedy if the cause is zinc deficiency. Other causes, however, include pesticide residues and other factors that are harder to remove from the bodies.

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