Common Mineral Deficiency Linked to Longevity

by Carolyn Pierini, CLS (ASCP), CNC

Your sense of taste and smell, mental health and behavior, skin and nail health, sex drive and fertility, blood sugar balance, immune, eye and vision health, the ability to produce adequate stomach acid—even your handwriting’s quality or legibility—are affected by your body’s zinc level. Zinc and its enzymes play a critical role in cell metabolism, including DNA replication, repair and transcription.

Most people are aware of zinc’s importance for healthy immune function. But why not keep your zinc level adequate at all times—not just the time of year when people are more concerned about immune health? The physiological changes occurring during insufficient zinc intake are extensive. A review suggests that zinc deficiency may be the primary cause of the aging process. Avoiding this deficiency may enhance longevity and support health with advancing age. Unbalanced insulin levels associated with high carbohydrate diets may deplete zinc, as do stress, alcohol and immune stressors. Soil depletion and food refining are additional reasons for low zinc levels. US surveys show that zinc insufficiency is common in the population.

It’s inexpensive and easy to assess your zinc need. Just perform the oral ZincMate™ taste test, which rates your probable zinc status.