zinc - Vitamins & Supplements Message Board

radioflyer_02 · 04-21-2003, 05:55 PM

alright,
recently i have been told i have a zinc deficency. my zinc level is WAY below the level it should be. last time checked i was at 44. whatever that means i am not sure. but i was wondering if there is a way, other than having to add a pill to my already numerous amount, to boost my zinc level? any ideas? i have a hard time eating with my anemia recently and you are only supposed to take the zinc lozenges i have on a FULL stomach. that does not happen. please help! i want to enjoy my food again!
thanks
amy

ARIZONA73 · 04-21-2003, 06:32 PM

An excellent alternative for you would be to eat oysters. Oysters are the richest source of zinc. As little as 3 ounces contain as much as 140mg zinc. So, it would hardly fill you up. As a matter of fact, you can buy them in the same kind of cans that sardines are sold in. I believe they are usually packed in soybean oil. They're actually very good.

Tangle · 04-24-2003, 04:12 AM

Oysters may be rich in Zinc, and also other minerals including toxic mercury and cadmium. Also maybe toxic chems. There is proly much disagreement about oyster safety. Any animal at the top of the food chain or bottom of the ocean is most likely to contain highest amounts of toxins. I am not making any conclusive statements here, just noting some info to be considerd.

Pumpkin seeds would be the next natural sourse of Zinc to consider.

I don't understand why one couldn't simply take a zinc glucanate supplement orally. I take zinc with copper and a carotene or vit A. Combining these three nutrients provides balance and maximum antioxidant protection with little-to-none harm at recomended doses.

A zinc dificiency can be a result of a diet too high in certain fibers like found in wheat, oat, cabbage,...
These fibers prevent the absorbtion of zinc. Never supplement zinc fallowing your high fiber meal. Take about one hr before meal.

ARIZONA73 · 04-25-2003, 09:35 PM

If Amy is like me, then she gets nauseous if she takes a zinc supplement on an empty stomach, or if she has only eaten a small quantity of food. Actually, I don't think that eating oysters will do her any harm. However, I suppose that if she has an aversion to oysters, then perhaps other zinc-rich foods, however moderate by comparison, may also benefit her.