If there ever was a super hero amongst mineral, zinc would be it. This mineral is crucial and is essential for more than 200 different enzymatic reactions in the human body. In other words, it is essential to keep you living and performing at a high-level day in and day out. Your body gets put through the ringer day in and day out and you cant do it alone, consider zinc to be the director of the show supporting you internally.
Full Science: Zinc is a beneficial mineral that has been often researched for its significant immune-supportive benefits. Zinc has a role in every single cell of our bodies and is an important co-factor in over 200 enzymatic reactions that induce functions such as:
- White blood cell production
- Testosterone production
- Eye health
- Skin health
- Normal growth and development
Zinc in the chelated form (bisglycinate) has been studied and shown to offer a form that is superior in its absorptive properties and is very well tolerated by the human body. This form is absorbed intact and thus does not compete with other minerals for absorption in the digestive tract.
One comparative study consisting of 30 female participants given a random form of zinc or placebo showed that the participants given zinc bisglycinate had significant increases in serum blood levels of zinc compared to other forms.
References:
- Gandia P, Bour D, Maurette J-M, et al. A bioavailability study comparing two oral formulations of zinc (Zn bis-glycinate vs. Zn gluconate) after a single administration to twelve healthy female volunteers. Int J Vitamin Nutr Res 2007;77(4):243-248.
- DiSilvestro R, Koch E, Rakes L. Moderately high dose zinc gluconate or zinc bisglycinate: effects on plasma zinc and erythrocyte superoxide dismutase in young adult women. Biol Trace Elem Res 2015;168(1):11-14.
- DiSilvestro R, Swan M. Comparison of four commercially available zinc supplements for performance in a zinc tolerance test. FASEB J 2008;22:693.3.
- DiSilvestro R, Hart S, Marshall T, et al. Enhanced aerobic exercise performance in women by a combination of three mineral chelates plus two conditionally essential nutrients. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2017;14:42.
