Zinc – mineral of the month!

Not many of you would have escaped the zinc taste tally! You may recall the procedure, hold 10 ml of zinc sulphate in your mouth for 10 seconds then swallow and describe the taste.
Not many sadly pass this crucial test. Some remark “Oh, it’s a little sweet”. Others declare “A bit like an unripe banana” and many more comment, “Well, it tastes just like water”. Oh dear.
All such responses fail the test!

Hardly surprising though. Soils in Australia are renowned for being zinc deficient, and zinc is used in over 300 enzyme reactions.

Specifically zinc is vital for skin repair, and deficiency results in dry, rough skin, delayed wound healing, eczema, psoriasis, acne and stretch marks. It is also essential for strong immunity and fertility. Deficiency signs include a white-coated tongue, white spots on nails, poor sense of taste and smell (or even an absence of sense of smell), impotence, infertility and premature ageing of the skin.

During teenage years rapid development requires greater amounts of zinc and these growth spurts can lead to zinc deficiency, and as the skin’s oil gland activity is regulated by zinc, acne can result. Indeed clinical trials have confirmed that zinc supplantation can be as effective as Roacutane, a drug commonly prescribed for severe acne.

Menstruation and ejaculation deplete zinc stores, as does the OCP, over-consumption of alcohol, high salt intake, chronic stress, excessive coffee or tea and high fibre diets rich in phytic acid.