If you have been binging on processed foods, then you are certainly not getting enough zinc, as processed foods are very low in zinc and almost all processed foods contain additives that cause depletion of zinc in the body. The intake of soy based foods, iron supplements; whole meal bread, cow’s milk and bran also interfere with zinc absorption.
Vegetarian diets have little or no zinc and vegetarians are advised to take zinc supplements to meet their daily requirements. Zinc can be found in abundance in foods like lean beef, fish, nuts, poultry, bran cereals, fruits like bananas and avocados, vegetables like cauliflower, cucumbers, sweet potatoes, spinach, and low fat dairy products.
Zinc and its Uses in Health Treatments
An essential trace element is what zinc is often referred to as, and it is basically a metal. Small amounts of this element are sufficient for human health. Zinc is used in the treatment of various health problems and in the prevention of zinc deficiency. It’s used to treat stunted growth in children; acute diarrhea and slow wound healing are also treated through administering of zinc supplements.
It helps in boosting the immune system; provides relief in common colds and recurrent ear infections. It helps in preventing respiratory infections in the lower lungs. Zinc is also used for curing malaria and other diseases caused by various parasites.
Zinc is also used for treating other maladies like hypogeusia or blinded sense of taste, tinnitus or ringing in the ears, ADHD or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, Crohn’s disease, head injuries, Down’s syndrome, Alzheimer’s disease, peptic ulcers, weight gain and in eating disorders like anorexia nervosa. Zinc is primarily used to treat men’s sexual health problems like BPH or benign prostatic hyperplasia, erectile dysfunction and male infertility. Zinc is also used for improving strength and athletic performance.
The Benefits of Zinc for Men's Health
1. Sperm Count
The important characteristic of zinc is that it’s a determining factor of sperm quality in men. The Fertility and Sterility Journal has published a study conducted on a group of Chinese men which proved that low concentrations of zinc affected sperm quality badly. Another study by the same journal sowed that men who were provided zinc supplements had increased sperm motility and counts.
2. Prostate Health
Zinc plays an important role in prostate health. Low levels of zinc in men resulted in greater risks of prostate cancer. Most prostate conditions found malignant were caused by low levels of zinc. Zinc supplements are known to reduce prostate enlargement to a large extent. Men with prostate get relieve from urinary problems like the inability to postpone urination, and weak urine flow.
Zinc is found to increase the production of testosterone that helps increase male libido, sperm motility and count. Deficiency in zinc causes a fall in testosterone levels especially in ageing men, and it results in lower strength and muscle mass. Zinc causes the female hormone, Prolactin to be lower in men and infertility, impotence and breast development occur. Zinc has been found to reverse pattern baldness in men.
Zinc is a very important for men's health both general and sexual. The male diet should contain sufficient quantities of this trace element. Where can you find zinc in sufficient quantities? Proteins contain large amounts of this mineral and red meat is a good source of zinc.
Vegetarians can absorb zinc from foods like chickpeas, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, nuts, beans, sesame seeds, wheat germ and wheat bran. Men require around 11mg of zinc every day. Since these foods provide less than 2mg of zinc, it becomes necessary to take zinc supplements to augment the required daily intake of the mineral.
Now that you have read the benefits of zinc and how it plays an important role in a man’s sexual health, it’s important if you are of the male species to check with your doctor and take whatever zinc supplements he/she prescribes to you. Also you can increase your intake of foods rich in zinc. This will provide your body with all the necessary amounts of zinc that it requires to be sexually healthy. There are many zinc supplements in the market and you are free to buy anything you think will do you any good.
