Zinc Deficiency: 5 common symptoms and causes

Have you ever wondered why zinc is so essential for your body’s well-being? It plays a lot of roles in various bodily functions, such as immunity support, skin health, etc. Your body requires a proper balance of zinc to stay healthy, but when the levels of zinc in our bodies drop below what is necessary for normal functioning, we become zinc deficient.

The following are some symptoms of zinc deficiency:

1. Stretch Marks:

   There is a general belief that once you have stretch marks, that means you’re fat or you are going to be fat soon. What you should know is that stretch marks can occur due to pregnancy, genetics, zinc deficiency, etc.

   Zinc is associated with the repair and regeneration of skin cells; therefore, a zinc deficiency can impair collagen production and increase the appearance of stretch marks.

      2. Poor hair and nail growth:

As zinc supports collagen formation, a deficiency in this mineral can lead to patchy hair loss, especially for people with a medical condition called alopecia areata (which occurs when your immune system attacks your hair follicles).

        3. High blood pressure:

To understand how high blood pressure is a symptom of zinc deficiency, let’s break down how zinc helps to regulate high blood pressure;

When the smooth muscle cells in the artery shrink, it causes a narrowing of the vessels through which blood flows. Calcium causes the tightening of these smooth muscle cells and is regulated by potassium, also present in the muscle tissue. The quantity of these two metals, Calcium and potassium, is influenced by the sensory nerves and endothelial cells. This is where zinc comes in.

Zinc affects the endothelial cells and sensory nerves and reduces the amount of calcium in the muscles, causing the smooth muscle cells to relax. This increases blood flow and lowers blood pressure. Therefore, uncontrolled high blood pressure can be a symptom of zinc depletion in your body.

 4. Hearing loss:

Did you know that your inner ear is where the largest amount of zinc is present? Your inner ear is the final stop that sound waves make in a carefully orchestrated journey that starts from your outer ear. Therefore, loss of hearing can occur due to low levels of zinc in the body.

5. White spots on the nails:

Do you have white spots on your nails, which is believed to be a sign of calcium deficiency? Well, this commonly believed ‘fact’ is a myth. That is because those white spots on your nail beds are caused by a zinc deficiency.

Looking at all of these symptoms, you must be wondering to yourself, what are the causes of this Zinc deficiency? Well, a major cause of this deficiency is not far fetched and that is excessive alcohol consumption.

1. Alcohol consumption:

Excessive consumption of alcohol can result in zinc deficiency. Alcohol increases thirst, which in turn increases zinc excretion through urine.

Other causes of Zinc deficiency are:

2. Poor Nutrition

3. Chronic Illnesses: Contracting illnesses like diabetes, liver disease, sickle cell disease, kidney disease, HIV infection can lead to zinc depletion in the body.

If you notice some of these symptoms of zinc deficiency mentioned above, then it’s time to consider supplementing with NATURE’S FIELD ZINC and enjoying the health-promoting properties of this incredible mineral.

What makes zinc crucial to the body is the fact that the body cannot save it. This makes it essential for you to supplement with NATURE’S FIELD ZINC if you find it difficult getting the amount you need from your diet.