Zinc deficiency
#203161 - 08/06/05 01:46 PM
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jen1013
Reged: 05/06/05
Posts: 1322
Loc: the wabe
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ISOT but most of what I came up with people talking about taking zinc for colds. My GI has told me I have a zinc deficiency, based on symptoms and bloodwork. I thought no big deal, like maybe I wasn't eating enough veggies or something, but I just now googled it, and, well, I guess I'm pretty confused about the whole thing, because looking at foods w/ zinc and the absorption rate (10-40%, I think, though most sites said 20%), I shouldn't be that low on zinc. They also are sending a script to the pharmacy for me, but now I wonder why. I mean, why not just tell me to go to Wal-Mart and take a zinc supplement??
The symptoms are also ones I've had for years. The most telltale is my gross fingernails. My fingers don't look so bad until you get up close, but my thumbs' nails are really bad. Even my GI recoiled in distaste when I showed them to him. Pre-IBS I was eating a pretty well-balanced diet and usually took a multi-vitamin, so I never did understand the whole fingernail thing, but since I never went to a doctor in those days except for the dread Annual Female Exam, I ignored it 'cause I wasn't actually dead from it.
Oh, and all my other stuff was fine, though I guess I'm not sure exactly what vitamins/mineral deficiencies you can determine from blood tests.
Do any of you guys have this problem as well? Or am I just a zinc-deficient freak??
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jen
"It's one of the most serious things that can possibly happen to one in a battle -- to get one's head cut off." -- LC
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What are the other symptoms? I have nail problems too! well, one nail that is.
I don't know why he didn't just tell you to take a zinc tablet. Maybe someone else can help.
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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I talked to the doctor and they said that I needed more than drug store supplements. So I got the script filled today and I am supposed to take 440mg a day.  The OTC zinc supplement I had I think was only 40mg.
Google "zinc deficiency symptoms" for the whole list -- most of the results will be about delayed growth of children in third-world countries so you have to hunt to find a good list. Most of them are pretty vague and I never would've thought to associate them with zinc deficiency. I also had a miscarriage, which apparently is common with women who are low in zinc, so I am pretty anxious about that since I want to conceive in the next year.
Luckily the deficiency is not severe, so I'm hoping that it will help within the next couple months. I also hope that it just doesn't make me more sick. 
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jen
"It's one of the most serious things that can possibly happen to one in a battle -- to get one's head cut off." -- LC
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440mg Wow 
I hope you are being closely supervised by your physician, because that is a lot of Zinc. The upper limit of safety for Zinc established by the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine is 40 milligrams daily for adults.
Here is a good link for info on Zinc:
ZINC
I would definately make sure that your doctor is monitoring you for imbalances that might be caused by that much zinc, particularly in your Copper level.
Also a little zinc is good for your immune system, but too much can actually depress it.
Rather than the sledge hammer approach to getting enough Zinc into your diet, perhaps you can ask your doctor about more absorbable forms, in lower doses.
Zinc Monomethionate, has been shown to be particularly absorbable. Here is a link to the brand I take, and I have found it particularly helpful to me:
Zinc Monomethionate
By the way, I have found that supplementing with Zinc Monomethionate, has definately helped my IBS. 
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Phil
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