ZINC
Zinc is the champion trace element, being active in over 400 proteins, in the interactions of hormones with their receptors, and in synaptic transmission in the nervous system.¹ The influence of zinc is so pervasive, encompassing all the major metabolic pathways, that it has been compared in importance to an essential amino acid.¹⁶ It is second only to iron in total amount in the body and is found in high concentrations in the male reproductive system as well as in muscle, bone, liver, kidneys, skin, and hair.

Evidence from both animal and human studies indicates that a zinc-deficient diet can cause chromosomal damage, esophageal cancer, male infertility, alterations in brain development and growth, learning and behavioral disabilities, cognitive defects, immune-system dysfunction, and slow growth and development in newborns, among others.¹ Zinc is believed to play a role in neural functions such as appetite control, taste, olfaction, vision (particularly dark adaptation), abstract thought, and neuromuscular coordination.⁴ Wound healing and the integrity of cellular membranes are highly dependent on adequate amounts of zinc.⁵ It has even been suggested that an intracellular zinc deficiency may be the primary cause of the aging process.¹⁷ A reasonable amount of supplemental zinc is 20 mg/day.