Zinc, that nutrient that almost no one ever hears about, unless of course you have a cold. So it's well known that zinc is necessary for normal immune function. But did you know that it is also necessary for your sense of taste? Or that it is also a key nutrient for both male and female fertility? The only well-proven way to test for a deficiency is to drink a prescription zinc solution from a physician well versed in how to test for it: if you cannot taste it, well, you have a deficiency.
Zinc and copper compete with each other for dominance in the body. So you don't want to supplement with zinc unless you need to, and then only for as long as you need to, or you might get a copper deficiency. On the other hand, if you ladies have a copper IUD, you might already have a zinc deficiency. The symptoms can include: acne, low sex drive and impaired immunity and sense of taste. Another side effect can be low levels of stomach acid. You need that for a variety of functions, like getting the vitamin B12 out of your food and killing germs. Foods high in zinc include shellfish, meat, legumes, nuts/seeds, eggs and dairy, whole grains. So it is entirely possible to eat your zinc even if you are a vegetarian or vegan, as long as you are eating a healthy, well balance diet containing plenty of the listed vegetarian food sources.
