Zinc
Zinc is a mineral that’s commonly added to supplements and other healthcare products like lozenges that are meant to boost your immune system. This is because zinc is essential for immune system function. Zinc is needed for immune cell development and communication and plays an important role in inflammatory response. 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.
Numerous studies reveal that zinc supplements may protect against respiratory tract infections like the common cold. What’s more, supplementing with zinc
may be beneficial for those who are already sick.
In a 2019 study in 64 hospitalized children with acute lower respiratory tract infections (ALRIs), taking 30 mg of zinc per day decreased the total duration of infection and the duration of the hospital stay by an average of 2 days, compared with a placebo group.
Supplemental zinc may also help reduce the duration of the common cold. Taking zinc long-term is typically safe for healthy adults, as long as the daily dose is under the set upper limit of 40 mg of elemental zinc. Excessive doses may interfere with copper absorption, which could increase your infection risk.
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SUMMARY: Zinc is essential for cell growth and division, immune function, enzyme reactions, DNA synthesis, and protein production. Supplementing with zinc can help protect against respiratory tract infections and reduce the duration of these infections. Research shows that zinc has numerous health benefits.
Our Immune Defense™ product contains 20 Mg of Zinc.
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