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What is it?

  • Zinc is a trace element, widely distributed in the human body that plays a critical role in carbohydrate and fat metabolism, as well as immune function and expression of genetic information. More than 85% of total body zinc is found in skeletal muscle and bone.
  • Zinc has an important role in immune system function,2 and in line with this, zinc deficiency has been associated with increased infection risk, particularly in developing countries.2-3 Zinc has been found to inhibit replication of rhinovirus (the most frequent cause of the common cold)7 in vitro, however this has not been proven in vivo to date.3,6
  • The body cannot produce its own source of zinc and therefore it relies on absorbing the zinc we consume as part of our diet or supplements. The recommended daily intakes of zinc for adults are:
    • ♂ — 14 mg per day
    • ♀ — 8 mg per day
  • Almost 80% of daily zinc intake in western populations comes from meat, fish, poultry, fortified breakfast cereals & milk. In general, zinc intake correlates well with protein intake.
  • Zinc supplementation may result in reduced duration of common cold symptoms, by up to 42%.1,6

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