Before launching my new QuikPlus line of atom-sized (nano, angstrom) minerals, I was having some trouble sourcing a supplier who could give me zinc in the concentration I required for Bone Matrix. I’d gathered LOTS of data supporting the importance of zinc in oral health – I found that having increased copper and zinc in the outer layers of enamel contributes to increased mineral content at deeper layers of enamel. Which is why I was set on including in my Bone Matrix formulation.
Safe to say I was frustrated and stuck – so I threw it out to the universe/divine and asked, “Is this ratio really crucial? Please give me a sign!”
The next morning I’d received an email from my MD Geneticist brother with an article saying that autism begins in utero because the copper:zinc ratio is off. Well, that was the answer I was looking for, so I persisted in my search until we found the right supplier! Now it’s a vital part of my Dental Decay Healing Protocol, and with rising concerns over immune health, we’ve brought in a NEW QuikPlus product – you guessed it, atom-sized (nano) Zinc!
From temporary filling to antifungal paste
I’ve also touched on zinc in a few other blog posts: as part of a daily supplement list to heal & detox depression, using zinc oxide as a way to make a temporary filling for a tooth cavity, as a key ingredient (pumpkin seeds – which contain zinc & magnesium) in my Chlorophyll and Cilantro Pesto Heavy Metal Detox recipe, as well as my blog post on zinc deficiency, low hydrochloric acid, and leaky gut syndrome.
You can also mix zinc oxide with wild oregano oil to form a potent antifungal paste. Just take 1/4 cup zinc oxide (you can find pharmaceutical grade on Amazon) and add wild oregano – stirring continually with a disposable wooden chopstick or popsicle stick – until it forms a sticky paste. Wild oregano is a broad-spectrum anti-pathogen (kills viruses, bacteria, fungus and some parasites) and the zinc oxide dries up the area or wound. Fungus requires moisture to thrive.
For all these reasons and more (keep reading!) I have added atom-sized, ionic liquid Zinc to the QuikPlus minerals line. You may have noticed that zinc lozenges have quite a strong taste, or perhaps they make your tongue sore. Well this atom-sized (nano) zinc does not require digestion (safe for the gut) and is tasteless when mixed with a liquid like water, juice, tea, smoothie, shake… or my favorite: 1 dropperful in my Emergen-C drink!
I’ve recommended supporting your body with key immune boosting substances like Vitamin C, Vitamin D3, Zinc, B-complex vitamins, oral wild oregano oil, aged garlic, olive leaf extract, medicinal mushrooms and therapeutic-grade probiotics – but what exactly is zinc’s role in in our bodies, and how does it boost immunity?
How does Zinc boost immunity?
Zinc is an essential mineral (trace element) which takes part in many aspects of cellular metabolism. It’s vital for growth and development, as well as immune function. According to the National Institute of Health (NIH) fact sheet on zinc, zinc is “required for the catalytic activity of approximately 100 enzymes, plays a role in immune function, protein synthesis, wound healing, DNA synthesis, and cell division. Zinc also supports normal growth and development during pregnancy, childhood, and adolescence and is required for proper sense of taste and smell. A daily intake of zinc is required to maintain a steady state because the body has no specialized zinc storage system.”
This 2019 study review summarizes clinical evidence which “examines zinc as a direct antiviral, as well as a critical factor of antiviral immunity, particularly as zinc-deficient populations are often most at risk of acquiring viral infections such as HIV or hepatitis C virus.” Have you ever heard of, or experienced, taking zinc as a supplementation to aid in herpes flares? There has been some evidence, as found in the above study, that zinc can actually assist and act as an antiviral against infections such as herpes simplex virus, as well as a variety of viral infections – including the common cold.
Zinc deficiency is surprisingly common (moreso in developing countries), usually due to lifestyle, age, and disease-mediated factors. I touch a bit upon zinc deficiency in my blog post Low Hydrochloric Acid & Leaky Gut Syndrome (mentioned at the beginning of this post). Zinc is essential to maintain normal physiology, and deficiency can manifest in many forms – ranging from delayed wound healing to immune dysfunction and impairment of multiple sensory systems.
Zinc can play an important role in stress and chronic inflammation as well. In this study investigators used zinc supplementation (given either to support immunity, or by correcting zinc dependent immune functions in people with zinc deficiency) to affect the outcome of various diseases. There were benefits observed in children with diarrhea, chronic hepatitis C, shigellosis, leprosy, tuberculosis, pneumonia, acute lower respiratory tract infection, common cold, and leishmaniasis.
Supplementing with Zinc also decreased infections in the elderly, in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) and decreased respiratory tract infections in children. It helped to prevent blindness in 25% of the elderly individuals with dry type of AMD, and in decreasing oxidative stress and generation of inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-alpha and IL-1beta in elderly individuals and patients with SCD.
Zinc is often added to foods (like fortified breakfast cereals), is available as a dietary supplement, and is found in many over-the-counter cold medicines and lozenges. It is naturally found in foods such as oysters (which actually contain the most zinc per serving than any other food! See food chart here), certain types of seafood (such as crab and lobster), beans, nuts, and whole grains. There have been some studies on phytates (which are found in whole grains) stating that phytates will bind to zinc and inhibit its absorption. I’ve written on this in my blog post, Soaking Oats, Nuts, Quinoa & the Phytate Dilemma. Other foods, like garlic and onions (which are often cooked together with beans), can enhance the bioavailability of minerals like zinc and iron, so that balances out the phytate inhibition.
Whew – what a powerhouse of a mineral!
If you haven’t tried it yet, or found a zinc supplement you can tolerate, then I encourage you to consider ionically-charged, atom-sized QuikPlus Zinc – which does not require digestion (so will not aggravate your gut), is virtually tasteless, is liquid so mixes easily in any drink, and absorbs almost instantly to the bloodstream.
Studies referenced in this blog post:
National Institute of Health (NIH) fact sheet on zinc
New Mineral Absorption Enhancers Found
The Role of Zinc in Antiviral Immunity
Zinc: Role in Immunity, Oxidative Stress and Chronic Inflammation
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