Zinc is a kind of trace element. The content in the human body and the daily intake required are very small, but it is very important for the body’s sexual development, sexual function, and the production of reproductive cells

< p>But it can play a decisive role, so it is known as the "spark of life" and "the element of marriage harmony".

The normal zinc content of the human body is 2-3 grams. Very trace amounts of zinc are distributed in most tissues, with higher levels in liver, muscle and bone. Zinc is the main component of dozens of enzymes in the body. Zinc is also linked to brain development and intelligence. A university in the United States found that smart and well-studied teenagers have higher zinc levels in their bodies than dumb ones. Zinc also has the effect of promoting the proliferation and activity of lymphocytes, maintaining normal epithelial and mucosal tissues, preventing bacterial and viral invasion, promoting wound healing, reducing acne and other skin lesions, and correcting taste disorders, etc. All have wonderful uses.

Deficiency

When zinc is deficient, all systems in the body will be adversely affected. In particular, it has a more direct impact on gonadal maturation during adolescence. When young men in the Nile Delta of Egypt suffer from zinc deficiency, the main symptoms are growth arrest and hypogonadism. Studies in Iran have confirmed that girls and school-age children suffer from growth retardation and delayed sexual maturity.

After fortifying food with zinc, the patient's development quickly returned to normal.

Animal experiments have confirmed that animals with zinc deficiency have poor brain development.

Zinc deficiency in certain tissues of the eyeball will affect the photochemical process and cause abnormal vision.

Zinc is also a component of insulin. When the zinc content in the pancreas drops to half of the normal level, diabetes may occur.

Zinc deficiency

The dietary structure of our people is mainly based on cereals. The bioavailability of zinc in cereals is very low, only 20-40%. If children have more Eating refined foods,

excessive loss of zinc content, is more likely to lead to zinc deficiency.

(1) Causes:

1. Insufficient zinc intake, the zinc content in breast milk colostrum is higher than that in mature milk, the baby does not breastfeed colostrum or has insufficient breast milk after birth , and failure to add zinc-rich complementary foods in time can lead to insufficient zinc

intake.

2. Zinc malabsorption, such as chronic digestive tract diseases, can affect the absorption and utilization of zinc.

3. The demand for zinc increases, and children with rapid growth and development are prone to zinc deficiency.

4. Excessive zinc loss, such as nephrotic syndrome; diuretics, steroids, membrane dialysis, etc. should be used for hemolytic anemia. Excessive intake of iron and calcium will increase the loss of zinc.

(2) Clinical manifestations:

The onset is slow, and the main symptoms include loss of taste, loss of appetite, recurrent oral ulcers, and pica. Retarded growth and development, retarded sexual development, lack of energy, skin moisture, blisters or ulcers, long-lasting dermatitis, hair loss, and easy complications at the junction of the skin and mucous membranes and extremities. Infectious diseases, slow wound healing

etc. Zinc deficiency in pregnant women can cause fetal dysplasia. In addition, night blindness may be caused by affecting the operation of vitamin A.

(3) Diagnosis:

Comprehensive judgment based on dietary survey, clinical manifestations, measurement of serum zinc level and zinc supplementation.

(4) Prevention:

Adhering to a balanced diet is the main measure to prevent zinc deficiency. Generally speaking, breast milk, especially colostrum, is the richest in zinc, so breastfeeding is recommended for prevention. Zinc deficiency is of great significance. Animal foods are not only rich in zinc, but also have high utilization rates. Nuts are also rich in zinc.

(5) Treatment:

1. Remove the cause of zinc deficiency.

2. Adjust your diet: Actively supplement a variety of zinc-rich animal foods such as liver, lean meat, egg yolks and fish.

3. Supplement zinc.

4. When taking zinc, you should increase protein intake and treat iron deficiency anemia, which can improve zinc deficiency faster.

Food sources

A balanced diet for normal people can provide the human body with about 10-20 mg of zinc every day, but only 2-3 mg can be utilized. The main substance that affects zinc absorption is plant acid, which can form insoluble salts with zinc in the intestine.

A large amount of dietary fiber also affects the utilization of zinc.

To ensure that there is enough zinc in the body, first start by adjusting your diet. Animal protein foods such as fish, meat, liver, kidney, and shellfish are rich in effective zinc. People with zinc deficiency can include them in their diets.

Special purposes

(The role of zinc in sexual activities)

The testicles, prostate, and semen of the human body all contain high concentrations of zinc. When the content of zinc in the human body is insufficient, sexual function will be reduced, and the enzyme that synthesizes testosterone will be disordered, which will cause impotence and acne on the face in men. Zinc plays a special role in stimulating sperm motility. Zinc deficiency can cause a decrease in sperm motility.

Long-term zinc deficiency without timely supplementation may lead to a significant decrease in sperm count, testicular atrophy, and ultimately infertility.

The World Health Organization stipulates that the daily zinc intake of adults is 15 mg, while the zinc intake of Chinese men is only about 9 mg. There are several reasons for the insufficient intake of zinc from food

:

First, a large amount of chemical fertilizers are applied to the land, and the food grown is generally deficient in zinc;

Second, deep processing of food can reduce the zinc content in food;

Third, drinking alcohol and eating sugar also consume part of the zinc. The human body is prone to zinc deficiency, especially married young men, because they are at the peak of their sexual life, that is, their dietary zinc intake is relatively insufficient, and they lose a considerable amount of zinc in their semen. .

The human body is deficient in zinc, which can generally be supplemented by adjusting diet. Shellfish foods such as oysters, clams, oysters, mussels, etc. contain more zinc. In terms of zinc content, oysters are the most recommended. Based on the zinc content of 100 grams of food, oysters is 100 mg. Other foods such as animal liver, whole grains, fish, meat, and eggs also contain considerable amounts of zinc, while fruits contain the least zinc.

In short, zinc occupies a dominant position in sexual activities and plays an important role in maintaining reproductive functions. Therefore, it is recommended that young men drink as little alcohol as possible and appropriately increase their intake of foods high in zinc to avoid affecting your reproductive function. Which male infertile patients need zinc supplementation treatment?

We have already mentioned in the relevant content that the testicles, prostate, and semen are rich in zinc. Because the seminal plasma in semen is mainly secreted by the prostate, checking the zinc content in the seminal plasma can be used as an indicator to monitor prostate function.

Researchers found that zinc plays an important role in maintaining this physiological state during the long pre-fertilization process such as sperm maturation, transportation, movement and capacitation in the female reproductive tract

effect. During the ejaculation process, sperm absorbs zinc in the seminal plasma and combines with the sulfhydryl groups of the nuclear chromatin to prevent premature depolymerization of the chromatin, which is beneficial to fertilization.

Zinc can also delay lipid oxidation of sperm membranes, maintain the stability and permeability of cell membrane structure, and maintain good sperm mobility.

In addition, the process of synthesizing testosterone by Leydig cells in the testis requires the participation of many enzymes. When zinc deficiency in the body can cause changes in the properties and functions of these enzymes, the interstitium of the testis

Reduction in the amount of testosterone synthesized and secreted by cells, etc.

Male infertility caused by zinc deficiency can be seen in oligozoospermia with reduced sperm count and azoospermia with poor sperm motility. Therefore, when encountering the above situation, you can

check the zinc content in the seminal plasma. If it is the cause of zinc deficiency, you can use zinc supplementation to treat it. Generally, 0.5% zinc sulfate aqueous solution can be taken orally after meals, 20 ml each time, 3 times a day. High-zinc foods can also be used for treatment, such as oysters, animal livers, etc., which can also help such patients gain fertility. Moreover, even if

there are no conditions for detecting zinc content, dietary zinc supplementation will not have adverse effects on the body.

Zinc Gluconate

(Properties and Stability) Zinc Gluconate is white crystal or granular powder; easily soluble in water, insoluble in ethanol, chloroform and ether. The preparation of this product requires shading and sealed storage.

(In vivo process) Zinc gluconate is mainly absorbed from the small intestine after oral administration. The serum zinc concentration reaches its peak after 1 hour and begins to decrease after about 2 hours. It can be widely distributed in the liver,

intestine, spleen, pancreas, heart, kidney, lung, muscle and central nervous system, bones, etc. Mainly excreted through feces, with a small amount excreted through urine and breast milk. Under similar conditions of zinc content, the bioavailability of this product is 1.6 times that of zinc sulfate.

(Drug effect) Zinc exists in many enzyme systems, such as carbonic anhydrase, respiratory enzymes, lactate dehydrogenase, superoxide dismutase, alkaline phosphatase, DNA and RNA polymers

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Medium enzymes, etc., are necessary for the synthesis of nucleic acids, proteins, carbohydrates and the utilization of vitamin A. Zinc can promote growth and development and improve taste. Zinc

Deficiency may lead to poor taste and smell, anorexia, and lower than normal growth and intellectual development.

(Adaptation symptoms) Zinc gluconate is a zinc supplement, mainly used for infants, the elderly, and pregnant women with growth retardation, malnutrition, and anorexia caused by zinc deficiency.

Recurrent oral ulcers, skin acne and other symptoms.

(Adverse reactions and precautions) Gastrointestinal irritation symptoms such as stomach discomfort, nausea or vomiting may be seen. However, it is less irritating to the digestive tract than zinc sulfate.

Excessive zinc entering the body can cause lead and iron deficiency by interfering with their absorption and utilization. Taking too much zinc can affect the metabolism of ketones and iron ions.

(Drug interactions) It is contraindicated to use this product with aluminum, calcium, strontium salts, borax, sulfates and hydroxides (alkali), protein silver and tannic acid. Combined use with penicillamine can weaken the effect of the latter.

(Usage and Dosage) Take orally. 10 mg per day for adults. For children, reduce the dosage as appropriate.

Zinc (Zn) Zinc is the most abundant trace element in the body after iron. However, it was not known until the 1960s that zinc is also an essential nutrient for the human body.

Zinc is a component of many enzymes. It is said that more than 100 enzymes in the human body contain zinc. In addition, zinc is related to protein synthesis, as well as DNA and RNA metabolism.

Transportation of carbon dioxide in blood cells, normal calcification of bones, development and maintenance of normal functions of reproductive organs, healing of wounds and burns, normal function of insulin and

Physique's keen sense of taste etc. all need zinc.

Human colostrum is an excellent source of zinc. The bioavailability of zinc in different foods varies greatly, and the bioavailability of zinc in meat and seafood is much higher than that in vegetables.

Don’t treat zinc-containing medicines as tonics

Zinc is an indispensable trace element for the human body. If a child is deficient in zinc, it will affect the growth and development and cause mental retardation. If the child is not deficient in zinc but takes excessive supplements, it will make things worse.

What’s the point? It turns out that trace elements in the human body have a certain content and proportion, neither too little nor too much. Infants and young children grow and develop rapidly and require a relatively large amount of zinc. However, more is not always better. If zinc-containing drugs are used as nutritional supplements and are taken by children every day, it will be harmful to health. If zinc supplementation is too much, it can reduce the content of vitamin C and iron in the body, inhibit the absorption and utilization of iron, and cause iron deficiency anemia. When there is too much zinc in a child's body and

when calcium is reduced, the activity of phagocytes can be inhibited under the action of magnesium ions, resulting in decreased immunity and poor disease resistance. Frequent administration of zinc-containing medicines to children will also increase the ratio of zinc to copper in the body, affect the metabolism of cholesterol, increase blood lipids, and promote atherosclerosis in the arteries, which will improve future success. Cerebrovascular

diseases pose hidden dangers. In addition, excessive zinc content in the body may cause cancer.

It can be seen that we must have a correct understanding of zinc. In order to prevent zinc deficiency in children, parents should learn scientific parenting methods. The first thing is to breastfeed, because breast milk contains enough zinc for the growth and development of the baby; starting from 4 months old, complementary foods should be gradually added to the baby, especially lean meat, eggs, animal liver, and oysters.

Foods such as peanuts, walnuts, etc. have high zinc content, which can be eaten by children depending on the specific situation; children should be educated from an early age to develop a good habit of not being picky eaters or having a partial eclipse

If you are used to it, pay attention to a reasonable and balanced diet, and eat a mixture of coarse and fine grains, so that children will generally not be deficient in zinc.

You should also be careful not to let your children eat too much

white sugar and sweets, so as not to affect the absorption of zinc.

If you find that your child has anorexia, pica, etc. due to zinc deficiency, you should go to the hospital and ask a doctor to check the zinc content in the child’s hair or blood, and check the zinc content according to the body

If you need zinc supplementation, you must not regard zinc drugs as a universal "nutritional tonic" to prevent harm to your child's health.

Beware of excessive sweating in babies due to zinc deficiency Wuhan Morning News (correspondent Luo Huarong) 2002-11-12 07:50:18

Although it is late autumn, there are still many babies suffering from excessive sweating recently. Khan sought medical treatment, and when trace element tests were performed, it was found that they were all zinc deficient.

Xu Haiqing, from the Pediatric Care Department of Hubei Provincial Maternal and Child Health Hospital, explained that children have a strong metabolism and are lively and active, so they often sweat more than adults. Excessive sweating will

leave too much zinc, causing zinc deficiency in the body. Zinc deficiency will reduce the body's immunity, especially the resistance of the respiratory tract and digestive tract, causing repeated infections.

Dr. Xu reminds parents to add zinc-rich foods to children with excessive sweating. Generally, animal foods contain more zinc, such as oysters, lean meat, animal offal, etc. Walnuts, chestnuts, peanuts, etc. also contain a lot of zinc and can be eaten regularly.

Some children sweat a lot, and are soaked all over at all times, as if they were washed with water. The tip of their nose, forehead, and hair are covered with sweat beads. Even in winter, they are sweating profusely.

Clothes and hats, water vapor is evaporating upwards.

Appropriate zinc supplementation in children with hyperhidrosis/Chen Hui (Deputy Chief Physician of Pediatrics, Beijing Haidian Hospital) 2000-10-17

Generally speaking, children have a strong metabolism and are lively and active , so they often sweat more than adults. In addition, children who are frail, weak, and suffer from rickets or tuberculosis may also suffer from excessive sweating.

Many trace elements in the human body are excreted through sweat, and zinc is one of them. Zinc is an essential trace element for the human body. It is closely connected with children's growth and development, immune function, vision and sexual development. During the growth and development process, children have a relatively large demand for zinc. Excessive sweating will cause excessive zinc loss. The incidence of zinc deficiency in children with hyperhidrosis is significantly higher than that of normal children. Zinc deficiency will reduce the body's immune level, especially the resistance of the respiratory tract and digestive tract, causing repeated infections

which in turn will cause physical weakness in children and aggravate hyperhidrosis, thus forming a vicious cycle. Therefore, children with hyperhidrosis should take appropriate zinc supplements.

For children under 10 years old, the World Health Organization recommends a daily intake of 10 mg of zinc. Children's daily dietary zinc intake can basically meet this standard if they eat a normal diet and have no disease. However, children with excessive sweating must add some zinc-rich foods, such as oysters, lean meat, fish, shrimp, and animal offal. They can also appropriately supplement with some zinc agents, such as zinc gluconate. In addition, you can also take some traditional Chinese medicines, such as astragalus, jujube, etc., which have the effect of replenishing qi and reducing sweating.

At the same time, other diseases that cause hyperhidrosis should also be actively treated.