Covid: Increasing Zinc via Diet
Since the body does not usually store zinc, it is important to make sure that there is no gap in zinc availability to the immune system while the body is fighting off Coronavirus. This is usually via absorption from food or nutritional supplements.
However, the loss of sense of smell which some people are experiencing during Coronavirus makes it look as if they are using their sense of smell as a "zinc bank." Since these people have generally lighter cases of coronavirus, it shows the benefit of having continuous zinc available to the immune system.
Think of zinc as if it was bullets in the guns of the soldiers, the white blood cells, against Coronavirus. If they suddenly run out of bullets, they get overrun. If they know they only have a limited amount of bullets, they change their strategy.
Therefore, both sudden changes in availability as well as not having sufficient quantity should be avoided for the immune system to be effective against coronavirus.
Beef is higher in bioavailable zinc. Leaving some fat or adding a healthy oil to it, which causes the absorption to take longer, results in even more slow, steady absorption.
Likewise, using sustained release zinc tablets would be a better choice for making sure that the body has continuous zinc supplies. This would allow the immune system to fight against coronavirus without the pause or wavering which would allow covid to make further and repeated inroads on the body.
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Another issue is that increasing folic acid in the diet seems to block absorption of zinc. It is possible that zinc is absorbed, and then exits the body via the liver, ending back in the intestines on its way out. I'm certain there's newer information than these two articles from the 1980s, but the warning was there that far back.
Milne DB, Canfield WK, Mahalko JR, Sandstead HH. Effect of oral folic acid supplements on zinc, copper, and iron absorption and excretion. Am J Clin Nutr. 1984 Apr;39(4):535-9. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/39.4.535. PMID: 6711464.
Simmer K, Iles CA, James C, Thompson RP. Are iron-folate supplements harmful? Am J Clin Nutr. 1987 Jan;45(1):122-5. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/45.1.122. PMID: 3799496.
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One example of foods high in zinc, low in folate or copper. Probably the milk products listed should be avoided; people who are slightly sensitive to either the sugars or proteins in milk might not be aware of it.
Coronavirus would take advantage if the immune systems has to fight on two fronts. Any allergens, milk sugars or proteins as well as other food, chemical, polen or other aerosol allergens should be avoided.
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©Deborah Barges Sept 2020 open access
However, the loss of sense of smell which some people are experiencing during Coronavirus makes it look as if they are using their sense of smell as a "zinc bank." Since these people have generally lighter cases of coronavirus, it shows the benefit of having continuous zinc available to the immune system.
Think of zinc as if it was bullets in the guns of the soldiers, the white blood cells, against Coronavirus. If they suddenly run out of bullets, they get overrun. If they know they only have a limited amount of bullets, they change their strategy.
Therefore, both sudden changes in availability as well as not having sufficient quantity should be avoided for the immune system to be effective against coronavirus.
Beef is higher in bioavailable zinc. Leaving some fat or adding a healthy oil to it, which causes the absorption to take longer, results in even more slow, steady absorption.
Likewise, using sustained release zinc tablets would be a better choice for making sure that the body has continuous zinc supplies. This would allow the immune system to fight against coronavirus without the pause or wavering which would allow covid to make further and repeated inroads on the body.
---
Another issue is that increasing folic acid in the diet seems to block absorption of zinc. It is possible that zinc is absorbed, and then exits the body via the liver, ending back in the intestines on its way out. I'm certain there's newer information than these two articles from the 1980s, but the warning was there that far back.
Milne DB, Canfield WK, Mahalko JR, Sandstead HH. Effect of oral folic acid supplements on zinc, copper, and iron absorption and excretion. Am J Clin Nutr. 1984 Apr;39(4):535-9. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/39.4.535. PMID: 6711464.
Simmer K, Iles CA, James C, Thompson RP. Are iron-folate supplements harmful? Am J Clin Nutr. 1987 Jan;45(1):122-5. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/45.1.122. PMID: 3799496.
---
One example of foods high in zinc, low in folate or copper. Probably the milk products listed should be avoided; people who are slightly sensitive to either the sugars or proteins in milk might not be aware of it.
Coronavirus would take advantage if the immune systems has to fight on two fronts. Any allergens, milk sugars or proteins as well as other food, chemical, polen or other aerosol allergens should be avoided.
---
©Deborah Barges Sept 2020 open access
