What are the health benefits of zinc?

Zinc is an essential mineral for good health, keeping your immune system actively fighting viruses and bacteria, and helping to support healthy growth and development. There is some evidence that the low zinc levels in women prone to PMS indicate a diet rich in this important mineral may prevent painful PMS symptoms. For osteoporosis prevention, zinc is also crucial as it enhances mineral absorption and is essential for bone health. The Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) is 15 milligrams. The best food sources are meat, pork, poultry, seafood, wheat products, nuts, seeds, dairy products, and fortified products.

Zinc is a trace mineral/coenzyme that protects against free radical damage and promotes mental alertness. It's an essential mineral that supports healthy cells and immune function. Zinc also plays an important role in growth and development, neurological function, the immune system and in reproduction.

Zinc is an essential mineral that plays an important role in immune function, and zinc deficiency impairs resistance to infection. It is also a nutrient that many people are often borderline deficient in. The RDI (recommended daily intake) for zinc is 15 mg a day, which is usually not achieved by those not taking supplements or foods fortified with zinc and especially in vegans, vegetarians, or flexitarians not eating seafood and meat daily. Zinc is a structural component of many enzymes and zinc deficiency leads to dysfunction of both humeral and cell-mediated immunity and increases susceptibility to infection. There is considerable evidence to suggest that regular supplementation with zinc or at least awareness of consuming foods rich in zinc is useful to improve immune function and fight off both infections and cancer.

What mineral helps heal your wounds and support your immune system and may even thwart cancer cells? Hint: Go to the end of the alphabet.

Yep, zinc -- last in the alphabetical roll call of minerals, but a first-place contender when it comes to anti-aging power -- does a lot for your well-being. But it may not work alone...

Zinc protects against cell-damaging, cancer-causing free radicals. But it could sure use a little help. Recent research confirmed as much. When low blood levels of zinc were paired with low blood levels of another mighty mineral -- magnesium -- bad things happened in a study of men aged 30 to 60. Death rates for the group increased dramatically. The reason? The synergistic effect of having too little of both free-radical-wrangling minerals may increase the toll on healthy cells exponentially.

You can get the zinc you need (12 milligrams a day) from crab, oysters, pork, poultry, beans, cashews and yogurt. Or find a good multivitamin with less than 15 milligrams. Too much of the stuff could stop other important minerals from doing their jobs. For magnesium, seek out soybeans, cashews, tomato paste, salmon and spinach.

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