Zinc

Module 4 Assignment HUM 3231 Section # 12484 Andrew Braker, N00820098 April, 10, 2013

Zinc is foods that have nucleic acids and amino acids that are part of peptides and proteins. This minerals main source is through animal products such as red meats, seafoods, poultry, pork, and dairy products. It is also found in vegetables and whole grains, including cereal where 30 percent of the United States consumption of zinc comes from. Although getting zinc from vegetables and grains is not as great as animal products because it is less absorbed in the body. The use of heat also makes it more difficult for zinc to be absorbed. Supplements are another way to increase the amount of zinc in your body, and usually come in the forms of oral tablets, lozenges, or sprays. The body also produces zinc, particularly in the pancreatic and biliary secretions that are released into the gastrointestinal tract, this is important for the homeostasis of zinc.1 The digestion of zinc happens when it is hydrolyzed from amino acids and nucleic acids before being absorbed. Zinc is released by the acidic environment of the stomach and upper duodenum, and by proteases and the nucleases in the stomach and small intestine. Once digested zinc is absorbed mainly in the duodenum and jejunum. Two mechanisms are accountable for the absorption of zinc. The first is by a protein carrier, Zrt- and Irt-like protein ZIP 4 which is the main transporter of zinc across the brush border and into the cytosol of the enterocyte. Divalent mineral transporter one also helps with the absorption of zinc pass the brush border but its role is much smaller. The other way zinc is absorbed is by paracellular diffusion. This type of absorption happens when zinc intakes surpass the capacity of the ZIP 4 carriers. There are factors that can either enhance or inhibit the absorption of zinc. Ligands, chelators, organic acids, prostaglandins, and an acidic environment are some reasons to help enhance absorption. Phytic acid, oxalic acid, polyphenols, folate, iron, and calcium help inhibit the absorption of zinc. After absorption zinc goes into portal blood from the intestinal cells and is transported by loosely bound albumin and taken to the liver. When zinc leaves the liver to be transported in the blood it can be bound to albumin again, or other proteins such as transferring and immunoglobulin. A very small amount of it is left as free zinc and travels freely in the blood. Zinc is then stored in almost every organ but mainly in the liver, kidneys, muscle, skin, and bones.1 Zinc is used for many functions in the body such as it is a component of numerous metalloenzymes. When zinc is a component of metalloenzymes, zinc provides a structural reliability to the enzyme, and is used as a reaction at the catalytic site which requires a zinc dependent enzyme. Some things that zinc dependent enzymes help in alkaline phosphatase, alcohol dehydrogenase, superoxide dismutase, and phospholipase c. A major function of zinc is in gene transcription. Zinc binds to transcription factor proteins that result in a change in the shape of the transcription factor proteins that resemble fingers. These fingers help hold around 30 amino acids to one zinc atom with the help of cysteine residues to help stabilize the

structure. Once the zinc fingers are formed they interact with specific DNs sequences called metal response elements which either enhance or inhibit transcription.1 The RDA for zinc is set at 11 mg for men and 8 mg for women, but if a woman is pregnant or lactating then it is increases to 11mg and 12 mg respectively. The result of not having enough zinc during pregnancy can cause spontaneous abortions, malformation, low birth weights, intrauterine growth retardation, birth compilations, and fetal development. 2 Zinc is mostly excreted by the gastrointestinal tract in the feces, and is also lost through the kidneys, and skin.1 A deficiency of zinc in children is common because of their low intakes of animal foods and vegetables.3 This can lead children to have growth retardation, skeletal abnormalities, poor wound healing, and skin rashes. In adults a zinc deficiency can cause anorexia, diarrhea, depression, skin rashes, and lesions. Most people that have a deficiency are children, elderly, vegetarians, or people with alcoholism. Toxicity can cause small side effects such as metallic taste, headache, and nausea, but more severe causes cause neurologic problems such as numbness, weakness, and ataxia. A way to see if someone is getting the proper amount of zinc is by measuring zinc in red blood cells, leukocytes, neutrophils, and plasma. Also assessments can be done by urinary excretion, or measurements of the activity of zinc dependent enzymes.1 Modern day use of zinc has been very popular in treating the common cold because it is an essential micronutrient for human growth, development, and immune function. Zinc salts had been used to inhibit rhinovirus replication, which is the one of the most common viral infections. These salts also have been believed to help with cold symptoms such as sneezing and nasal congestion. A double blind placebo controlled study done by Vakili used school children during flu season to see the effects of zinc. Vakili spilt up 200 second graders which were divided into a placebo group and a group that got a 10 mg zinc tablet that was taken six days a week, for five months. The results were that children taking the zinc tablet had a significant decrease in the amount of colds they got. It is also mentioned that since there were less children getting the common cold, this reduced the chance of children needing the use or misuse of an antibiotic.3

References: ___________________
1 Gropper S, Smith J. Advance Nutrition and Human Metabolism.

Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning 2005. 500-510

2 Severi C, Hambidge M, Kerbs N, et al. Zinc in plasma and breast milk in adolescents and adults in pregnancy and

postpartum. Nutr Hosp. 2013;28:223-228 3 Vakili R, Vahedian M, Khodaei G, et al. Effects of Zinc supplementation in Occurrence and Duration in School Aged Children. Iran J Pediatr. 2009;19(4):376-380