Best Foods With Zinc to Strengthen Your Immune System
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Did you know that a healthy amount of zinc in your diet has been linked to an improved immune system and faster wound healing? The benefits of getting enough zinc don’t stop there.
Research has also found that zinc may help in these situations:
Shorten the Common Cold A systematic review found that zinc supplementation could potentially reduce the length of the common cold by 2.25 days.
Fend Off Heart Disease A study found that supplementing with zinc and magnesium for 12 weeks helped people with type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease decrease insulin and fasting blood sugar levels and increase HDL (“good”) cholesterol. (The study was small, with only 60 participants, and the study authors noted that more research is needed.)
Improve Eye Health Specifically, supplemental zinc may help slow the progression of age-related macular degeneration, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Support Wound Healing Zinc may aid in wound healing by reducing inflammation and activating immune cells at the area of injury, per research.
RELATED: 8 Ways to Keep Your Immune System Healthy
Prevent COVID-19 One study found that a significant number of people with COVID-19 were also deficient in zinc. People deficient in zinc developed more complications than those who were not. That said, more studies are needed to know the true relationship between zinc deficiency and COVID-19.
Unfortunately, it seems that starting to take zinc once you’re diagnosed won’t help. According to one trial, supplementing with zinc did not lessen COVID-19 symptoms among patients who’d been diagnosed.
RELATED: Study Shows Some Vitamins and Supplements Linked to Reduced Risk of COVID-19 in Women
How Much Zinc Should You Take to See Benefits?
Zinc is an essential trace mineral, which means our bodies need only a small amount of it to maintain good health, according to MedlinePlus. The NIH sets the recommended dietary allowance at 8 milligrams (mg) for adult women and 11 mg for adult men. While only a small amount may be needed, don’t underestimate the power of this mighty mineral.
10 Best Zinc-Rich Foods
Here are 10 foods that can help you hit your zinc quota every day.
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