A glance over the aisles in your local pharmacy will show multiple products containing zinc, claiming the product can shorten an illness. Is it just hype, or is there some truth to the effect of zinc on the immune system?
Let’s dig into the research to see what scientists say.
What is zinc?
Zinc is a nutrient that operates in more than 300 chemical processes in our bodies. In fact,
zinc is the second-most abundant trace mineral in the body, after iron. Zinc is necessary for a robust immune system, growth and development, and wound healing. (1)
Zinc is essential to your wellbeing, but your body can’t make or store it. That means you have to get a consistent supply of zinc from your diet. You can get it from foods like lamb, chickpeas, cashews, and spinach, or from a reputable supplement.
Does zinc enhance my immune system?
Research points to yes.
Eleven trials of the effect of zinc on the common cold showed that on average, using zinc while sick shortened the duration of the participants’ colds by 36%. (2) That means you can get back to work and the activities you enjoy a couple days sooner than you otherwise would.
Additional research found that the zinc is most effective when administered within the first 24 hours of an illness. (3)
How does zinc work?
Zinc supports the immune system by developing and activating lymphocytes and neutrophils—white blood cells that attack foreign invaders. (4,5)
In one study of children 2-20 months of age, scientists investigated the effect of weekly zinc supplements on the kids’ rate of pneumonia and other infections. Children who took the zinc had 31% fewer incidents of pneumonia and 22% fewer incidents of diarrhea than the placebo group. (6)
In addition, researchers studied how zinc might help elderly patients in a nursing home. People who were given zinc demonstrated decreased incidence and duration of pneumonia, a decreased number of new antibiotic prescriptions, and a decrease in the days of antibiotic use. (7)
Life is stressful enough without adding sniffles and coughs. A supplement that can boost your zinc levels is good news for you and your family.
Let’s get healthier, together,
Your friends at Santo Remedio
