Zinc Benefits for Men
Zinc is one of the most important vitamins, especially for men. The prostate gland, for example, requires a high level of Zinc to stay healthy. This mineral also has a direct impact on the testosterone levels of men.
What Zinc Does to the Body
Foods that Supply Zinc
It is referred to as an essential mineral. This means that the body requires it, but is not able to produce on its own.
Zinc is sometimes called the ultimate sex mineral and that is why a lot of male enhancement supplements have it as an active ingredient.
What Zinc Does to the Body
Zinc is an antioxidant that works to protect cells from deteriorating and is present in all the cells on the body.
In men, a healthy prostate gland has the highest concentration of zinc, among other tissues. Other parts of the body that require high levels of this mineral include the kidneys, eyes, bones, liver, pancreas, and muscles.
The body only needs a small amount of zinc, about 11 milligrams daily. However, it cannot produce zinc on its own, nor does it have a special storage for this mineral so it is important to consume zinc every day.
If the body does not have enough zinc, men suffer from impotence, weight gain, fatigue, and depression.
Benefits
- Immune system booster.
- Synthesizes proteins and DNA.
- Balances cell division.
- Promotes lean muscles.
- Stimulates enzymes in the body.
- Enhances focus and concentration.
- Increases serotonin levels.
Zinc Increases Testosterone Levels
A high level of zinc boosts free and total testosterone levels. In this study, athletes were given 3mg of zinc sulfate daily for 4 weeks.
After 4 weeks, it was found that the athletes have significantly higher free testosterone levels compared to their levels before the supplementation. Note that exhaustion will usually cause low testosterone. However, the study mentioned shows that zinc was still able to allow the body to boost its free testosterone even after exhaustion.
Another study has proven that zinc has a big role in normal men. In this study, some young men were restricted to zinc diet, while some elderly men were supplemented with zinc.
The results show that even young men who do not consume enough zinc have reduced testosterone levels. On the other hand, the elderly men who supplemented on zinc have an increase in testosterone.
Signs of Low-T
- Depression
- Difficulty retaining memory
- Low libido
- Erectile dysfunction
- Weight gain
How it Affects Sexual Health
A normal level of testosterone in the body results in an overall positive well-being. Most of the time, erectile dysfunction is caused by low levels of testosterone.
There was a 2010 study that targeted patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) as subjects. These patients tend to suffer from sexual dysfunction.
This study has proven that regular supplementation of zinc among CKD patients increased their potency and libido.
Another study proved that a healthy sense of smell is very important for a better sex drive. Zinc was found to be effective in maintaining a good sense of smell.
Boosts Stamina and Energy
Zinc is responsible for converting food energy into energy that is used for physical activities. When zinc is low, it can cause someone to feel weaker. It can also cause issues with cardiorespiratory functions.
This study shows that zinc has a positive impact on blood quality. Having a healthy red blood cell and hemoglobin count means that there are more means to transport iron throughout the body. Iron, in turn, helps to convert nutrients from food into energy.
Aids with a Healthy Prostate
Zinc plays a major role when it comes to protecting the prostate. Zinc works by creating a toxic environment for cancer cells in the prostate. This study shows that regular zinc intake reduces the risk of dying from prostate cancer.
Reduced intake of zinc is also found to cause an enlarged prostate. It is recommended that men in their 40’s should start supplementing with zinc because of many reasons, and to avoid prostate cancer is just one of them.
Increases Sperm Production
When men ejaculate, they lose 5mg of zinc, and that is almost half the daily allowance. Zinc is very important for sperm production. If the body has enough zinc, it can produce a healthy amount of semen volume.
This mineral also helps the sperms to have a high sperm motility. This term refers to the strength and endurance of the sperms that allow them to swim towards the egg. Infertility in men can be caused by low sperm motility.
Zinc supplementation can increase fertility when planning to start a family.
Fights Against Baldness
HuffPost reported that men who ate lean beef are less likely to go bald. While baldness can be hereditary, it was found that vitamin deficiency promotes baldness.
50-100mg of zinc enhances immune function which results in hair growth. Consult your doctor if you want to take zinc to prevent or cure baldness.
Foods that Supply Zinc
- Oyster
- Lean beef
- Turkey
- Crab
- Cashews
- Kidney beans
- Chicken
- Fortified Cereals
- Peanuts
Side Effects
Overdosing can cause the following side effects:
| Mild toxicity | Stomach cramping, vomiting, diarrhea, nausea |
| Severe toxicity | Headache, loss of muscle coordination, fever, palpitation |
| Long-term toxicity | Weakened immune system, anemia, copper deficiency |
Having a high level of zinc in the body is as dangerous as having zinc deficiency as it can counteract with other medications. Zinc overdose can result in low copper and abnormality in the iron count.
How to Take Supplementary Zinc
The recommended zinc daily allowance for adults is 11mg. But because zinc is present in most common foods, it is best to talk to your doctor first to see if supplementing is beneficial to your health.
For special cases, the doctor may allow more doses of zinc.
It is recommended to take zinc 1 to 2 hours after a meal and must not be taken at the same time with another mineral supplement like copper or iron. It can also be helpful if it is taken before sleep as it can help with insomnia.
A copper supplement must be taken when zinc supplement is consumed long-term (more than one month).
