Health and anxiety of zinc deficiency

Zinc is an important micronutrient to maintain human health and nutrition. Zinc deficiency can lead to some digestive, metabolic, neurological disorders .

Zinc is involved in the activity of more than 300 enzymes in important biological reactions, including digestive enzymes, and especially enzymes necessary for protein synthesis, nucleic acid as well as synthesis, Excretion and activity of many important growth hormones such as GH, IGF-1, testosteron, insulin, thymulin.

Breastfeeding ensures zinc intake for children (Photo: webtretho) Therefore, zinc is necessary for gene transcription, reproduction, reproduction and duplication of cells; need for normal growth and development of immune, digestive, brain, endocrine, bone, muscle, sexual maturation and antioxidant functions. Zinc deficiency causes a decline in energy consumption so it is often combined with lack of energy and many other nutrients .

Causes of zinc deficiency

According to Dr. Nguyen Thanh Danh - Ho Chi Minh City Nutrition Center, the cause of zinc deficiency is often due to: Increasing demand for zinc but not responding: low birth weight, rickets, periods rapid growth period; adults in pregnancy, breastfeeding, nursing.

Reduced supply or lack of zinc in the diet: an imbalanced diet, lack of animal protein or fasting, fasting, miserable food, prolonged intravenous feeding.

Poor digestion or absorption (in chronic diarrhea, enteritis, short bowel syndrome (removal of the small intestine), long-term iron deficiency treatment.

Zinc loss due to acute diarrhea, burns, fractures, hemorrhage, sweating, nephrotic syndrome, hemolytic anemia, trauma, surgery, long-term use of diuretics, drainage or upper intestinal leakage .

Clinical manifestations

Mild and moderate zinc deficiency is quite common. According to Dr. Nguyen Thanh Danh, this situation is caused by poor eating combined with other harmful disorders. Can be noticed on some of the following specific manifestations:

Undernutrition: Slow growth, mild and moderate malnutrition, slow growth in height, reduced lactation and serious diseases.

Gastrointestinal and metabolic disorders: Children with impaired energy consumption such as loss of appetite or decreased appetite, decreased feeding, no fish meat consumption, slow digestion, mild constipation; Prolonged nausea and vomiting in children, nausea and vomiting (morning sickness) in pregnant women.

Psychotic-neurological disorders : Sleep disturbances (trouble sleeping, sleeplessness), waking up many times during the night, crying for long nights. Nervous depression (headache, neurotic excitability, memory loss .). Emotional disturbances (apathy, apathy, depression, change in mood). Weakness of brain activity, sluggish dreaming, paranoia, loss of speech regulation, taste and smell disorders, disability, cerebral palsy, mental retardation of motor .

Immune impairment: Recurrent infections in the respiratory tract (pharyngitis, recurrent bronchitis, gastrointestinal inflammation, dermatitis, burns, pustules, mucositis) .

Epithelial lesions: dryness of the skin, frontal dermatitis two lower limbs, melasma, peeling, thickening of the skin and bilateral skin cracking, oral mucositis, glossitis, allergies. Nail care disorders, nail infections, brittle hair easy to break, bald hair.

Eye damage: photophobia, loss of ability to adapt to darkness, night blindness, night blindness, dry eyes, corneal ulcers.

Severe zinc deficiency is characterized by typical lesions: dermatitis, thickening of the horns, darkening and flaking of the outer surfaces of the legs (fish scales), baldness, nail dystrophy (wrinkled nails, white streaks, slow growth) , dry eyes. Inflammation around the anus, vulva, diarrhea. Increased susceptibility to infections, causing recurrent infections. Neurological stimulation, cognitive disorders, lethargy, mental retardation. Delayed sexual development, reduced gonads, low sperm, impotence. Severe malnutrition, dwarfism .

Cases of increased risk of zinc deficiency : Zinc supplementation is required in the following cases: increased demand for zinc; reduced digestion or zinc absorption; increased zinc loss; Congenital or chronic diseases that cause zinc deficiency. Continuous stress, diabetes, Down syndrome, sickle cell disease, psoriasis, allergies, liver failure, alcoholism, alcoholic cirrhosis, acute hepatitis, chronic kidney disease, pancreatic failure, malignant blood disease , chronic infection (tuberculosis, AIDS .). Children with disabilities with lack of nutrition such as cerebral palsy, weight loss, muscle atrophy, low blood albumin, severe diseases (surgery, trauma .).

Preventing and treating diseases

When in the above cases, need to see a specialist for examination and treatment. To prevent zinc deficiency, choose foods rich in zinc or zinc supplements. Prevention of zinc deficiency in children must be concerned with preventing zinc deficiency for mothers from pregnancy (when there are signs of morning sickness, anorexia, decreased appetite, slow growth of the fetus).

Breastfeeding (not weaning before 12 months). After 4 to 6 months, because the baby develops rapidly and the need increases, if breast milk is lacking, cow's milk must be fed. Zinc supplementation should be given by weaning or oral zinc supplementation (5mgZn dose / day).

Newborns weighing less than 2.5 kg must receive zinc supplements from the second month after birth. Give your child a full and diverse range of foods, especially animal-based foods (meat, fish, eggs, milk, seafood, silkworm chicks, beef, toad meat . (toad meat must be done carefully Remove all intestines, liver, eggs and skin.) Prevent infections, give your child enough food during and after infection, diarrhea .