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Do you have white spots or vertical or horizontal lines on your nails, which are often believed to be a sign of calcium deficiency? Well, turns out that this commonly believed ‘fact’ is actually a myth. That is because those white spots on your nail beds are not due to calcium deficiency but because of a zinc deficiency. Debunking this popular belief, nutritionist Pooja Makhija took to Instagram to share that zinc is a “micro trace mineral” that is required by the body — especially the heart, bones, lungs, and hundreds of other enzymes — but what makes it crucial is the fact that the body cannot save it. This makes it extremely essential for us to consume a zinc-rich diet.
Zinc is the second most abundant trace mineral in our body, after iron, and is integral for various bodily functions like protein production, cell growth and division, DNA synthesis, maintaining immunity, and enzyme reactions. “Also known as the ‘miracle mineral’, zinc works magic to transform chronic health problems, literally improving symptoms overnight,” Makhija’s caption read.
Further sharing some dietary sources of zinc, she informed that zinc (almost 70 per cent of it) attaches itself to the protein, albumin. But, since “73 per cent of Indians are protein malnourished, making zinc deficiency even more prevalent,” she added.
Signs of zinc deficiency
Detecting zinc deficiency is hard as zinc is distributed in trace amount in our cells making it hard to give a reliable blood test result. Makhija, however, lists symptoms that can help identify zinc deficiency:
*You don’t sleep long enough
*Your immune system is fragile
*You have low sex drive or mood
*You gain weight easily
*Your teeth decay and gums bleed
*You have unexplained hand and face wrinkles
*You break out easily and often
*You have delayed healing
*You have accelerated macular degeneration
Foods rich in zinc
Natural food items that are rich in zinc are:
Oyster
Crab and lobster
Meat and poultry
Veggies like mushrooms, spinach, broccoli, garlic, and kale
Legumes like chickpeas and beans
Nuts and seeds like edamame, pine, chia, and pumpkin
Whole grains like brown rice, oats, and quinoa
Fortified breakfast cereals like cornflakes, muesli, wheat flakes
Dairy foods
Dark chocolate
Can zinc supplements be consumed?
Zinc supplements can be added to one’s diet to overcome its deficiency. A variety of zinc supplements like zinc gluconate, zinc sulfate, zinc citrate, etc are available in the market, and should be taken only after consulting a doctor. However, there are certain things you must in mind. “Zinc supplements are generally well-tolerated, but they’ve been associated with adverse side effects like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach pain in some people,” Dr Neha Pathania, Chief Dietician, Paras Hospitals, Gurugram, told indianexpress.com.
Tips to keep in mind when taking zinc Supplements
High zinc intake can interfere with the absorption of copper and iron and can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach pain in some people. “Exceeding 40 mg per day of elemental zinc in adults can cause flu-like symptoms like fever, coughing, headache, and fatigue. Furthermore, zinc supplements have been shown to interfere with the absorption of certain antibiotics, reducing their effectiveness if taken at the same time,” Dr Pathania added.
“To reduce your risk of side effects, stick to the recommended dosage and avoid exceeding the tolerable upper limit of 40 mg per day, unless under medical supervision,” she stressed.
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