"Aunt Zhang, you see how my Xiaoyun has always been listless recently, and the teacher also said that she often wanders in class. Wang's mother said to her neighbor Aunt Zhang with a sad face.
Aunt Zhang, a senior nutritionist, pondered for a moment after listening to this, and then asked, "How is Xiao Yun's diet lately?
"When you say that, I think of her, she has really eaten very little lately, and always says that she has no appetite. Wang's mother replied.
"It could be a zinc deficiency. Aunt Zhang explained, "Zinc is an essential trace element in children's growth and development, and zinc deficiency can lead to problems such as loss of appetite and concentration in children. You can take your child to the hospital for a check-up, and if it is indeed a zinc deficiency, then pay attention to supplementing your child with zinc-rich foods. ”
After hearing this, Wang's mother suddenly realized that she decided to take the child to the hospital for a check-up the next day, and began to pay attention to Xiaoyun's diet and nutrition. She knows that the healthy growth of children is inseparable from scientific and reasonable nutritional support.
01
As an essential trace element, zinc plays a variety of important roles in the human body, especially for the growth and development of children. Here are a few of the main miracle effects of zinc:
Promotes growth and development: Zinc plays a vital role in children's growth and development. It is involved in the synthesis of proteins and nucleic acids in the body and helps in the proliferation of cells and the repair of tissues. Zinc deficiency can cause children to grow slower and be short in stature.
Strengthens the immune system: Zinc is an important component of the immune system and is involved in the composition of most globulins and enzymes. Zinc deficiency can lead to a weakened immune system, making children susceptible to infections. Appropriate zinc supplementation can improve your child's immunity.
Maintain nervous system health: Zinc is also very important for maintaining the normal function of the nervous system. Zinc deficiency may affect nerve conduction and brain function, which in turn can affect a child's intellectual development and ability to learn.
Improves digestion: Zinc also promotes appetite and maintains the normal function of taste and smell. Zinc deficiency can lead to problems such as loss of appetite, pica, and taste disorders.
Promote wound healing: Zinc also helps in wound healing, and problems such as rough skin and poor wound healing may occur when zinc is deficient.
Other physiological functions: Zinc is also involved in the synthesis of a variety of enzymes and energy metabolism processes in the body, and plays an important role in maintaining the normal physiological functions of the human body.
02
Zinc is one of the essential trace elements in the human body and is essential for maintaining the normal physiological functions of the human body. Zinc deficiency can cause many harms to the human body, and the following is a detailed summary:
Growth retardation:
Children: Zinc deficiency can lead to stunted growth and development, and children may be lower in height and weight than children of the same age. Zinc deficiency can interfere with cell division and tissue regeneration by affecting the synthesis of nucleic acids and proteins, which is especially detrimental to children in the rapid growth phase.
Adolescents: During puberty, zinc deficiency may lead to delayed sexual development, such as male genital dysplasia, female breast development, and late onset of menstruation.
Decreased immune function:
Zinc deficiency can lead to impaired function of the immune system's T lymphocytes, making the body susceptible to bacterial and viral infections, thereby increasing the risk of infectious diseases such as colds, pneumonia, and diarrhea.
Skin Problems:
Zinc deficiency may cause skin inflammation such as eczema, dermatitis, etc., accompanied by symptoms such as itching, redness, and swelling. In addition, zinc deficiency can lead to rough skin, thinning of the stratum corneum, and reduced skin barrier function.
Appetite and digestive problems:
Zinc deficiency can lead to obstruction of the renewal of epithelial cells in the oral mucosa, which in turn affects the function of taste receptors, resulting in decreased appetite, anorexia, picky eating, pica and other problems. Long-term zinc deficiency can also lead to malnutrition.
Vision Problems:
When zinc deficiency is severe, it can lead to vision loss and even night blindness. Zinc is an important component of the lens of the eye, and zinc deficiency may affect the metabolism of vitamin A, which can adversely affect vision.
Hindered development of intelligence:
Zinc deficiency can cause disorders in brain DNA and protein synthesis, and reduce glutamate concentration in the brain, which can affect children's intellectual development and learning ability.
03
For people with mild zinc deficiency or those who need daily zinc supplementation, dietary supplementation is a gentle and simple way to supplement. Foods rich in zinc include:
Fruits: such as apples, strawberries, etc., these fruits contain a variety of trace elements, including zinc.
Meat: Especially lean meats, such as pork liver, pork belly, beef, lamb and other red meats are rich in zinc.
Seafood: such as shellfish (oysters, scallops, etc.), hairtail, sardines, etc., these seafood products are very rich in zinc.
Eggs: Eggs, duck eggs, etc. are also good sources of zinc, especially the yolk part.
Nuts: such as walnuts and almonds also contain a certain amount of zinc.
Dairy products: Dairy products such as milk and yogurt also contain zinc.
Notes:
The Chinese Nutrition Society recommends a daily zinc supplement of about 12.5mg for men and 7.5mg for women. However, please note that the total amount of zinc supplementation should not exceed 40 mg per day to avoid zinc overdose or zinc toxicity.
The best time for zinc supplementation is usually recommended between meals, such as 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. or 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. During this time, the gastrointestinal tract is empty, and the oral bioavailability of zinc supplementation is high. However, patients with gastrointestinal disorders should take zinc supplementation half an hour after a meal.
While supplementing with zinc, it is also necessary to maintain a balanced diet and appropriate exercise to improve the efficiency of zinc absorption and utilization.
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