In the following article, Biocyte will give 7 signs of zinc excess, thereby helping you find ways to overcome and treat it promptly.
The role of zinc in the human body
Zinc is an indispensable micronutrient for the human body, it plays an important role in biochemical processes inside our body. Zinc has the ability to regulate blood sugar levels to prevent sugar levels from increasing.
In addition, zinc helps slow down the body’s metabolic rate to prevent effects on the division and synthesis of DNA molecules. In addition, zinc also plays a role in strengthening the body’s resistance, thereby preventing negative effects from outside entering the body.
Zinc contributes to quick wound healing, supports reproductive function, cell development, and musculoskeletal health. In addition, zinc is also a micronutrient that performs the functions of smell, taste and creates appetite.
On the other hand, zinc is considered to have a close relationship with cadmium (a heavy metal) which is extremely toxic. Once the zinc content in the body is too low, it will make the body susceptible to damage when exposed to cadmium.
Some zinc supplements that should be used include: oysters, salmon, herring, beef, etc. Zinc is also found in some plants such as pumpkin seeds, beans, and spinach. Therefore, we need to regularly supplement these foods to provide enough zinc for the body.
Currently, we can also supplement zinc through pills that support zinc supplementation for the body. Medical experts believe that each person needs an average of 40mg of zinc per day for the body to function and develop normally.
7 signs of excess zinc in the body
Excess zinc is a phenomenon that directly affects our health. Therefore, each person needs to grasp the signs of excess zinc in the body to have timely remedies.
Nausea, vomiting
The first and most common sign of zinc excess is nausea and vomiting. According to 17 studies on the effects of zinc in treating common colds, it was found that zinc supplementation will help shorten the treatment time of flu. However, it comes with side effects such as nausea and vomiting (46% of study participants felt nauseated after zinc supplementation).
When using zinc content greater than 225 mg, it will cause vomiting, this phenomenon also occurs very quickly after zinc supplementation. In fact, there have been cases of very severe nausea and vomiting after 30 minutes of supplementing 570mg of zinc.
Vomiting also occurs with smaller doses. In a 6-week study, 47 people were given 150 mg of zinc daily, and more than half had nausea or vomiting.
Vomiting can cause zinc to be excreted, but it will not be enough to prevent long-term complications. Therefore, if you overdose on zinc, go immediately to the nearest medical facility for timely intervention!
Abdominal pain and diarrhea
Abdominal pain and diarrhea are also very common signs of zinc overload, which often appear along with vomiting. Also in 17 studies on the effects of zinc supplementation in treating colds, up to 40% of participants felt abdominal pain and diarrhea.
This phenomenon may appear less frequently, but there have been cases of intestinal irritation leading to gastrointestinal bleeding when supplementing with excess zinc. Specifically, in one study, after supplementing 220 mg of zinc sulfate twice daily to treat acne, one person experienced gastrointestinal bleeding.
Besides, zinc chloride concentrations > 20% can lead to extensive corrosive damage in the digestive tract. Although zinc chloride is not used in functional foods, it can still occur if materials containing zinc chloride are accidentally swallowed such as glue, fillings, welding, chemicals, etc.
Some symptoms are flu-like
Supplementing larger amounts of zinc will cause flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills, cough, headache, and fatigue. These symptoms are similar to poisoning with other minerals, which is why it is difficult to diagnose and treat.
At this time, doctors need to ask questions about your daily diet as well as conduct tests to determine whether you have zinc poisoning or not. You need to list your daily medications and supplements so doctors can judge and provide appropriate treatment.
Low HDL cholesterol levels