Benefits Of Zinc And Why It’s Important For Kids

What is zinc?

Zinc is a mineral that our bodies need for good health. It helps with the growth and development of cells, bones, muscles, and the reproductive system. It also helps wound healing.

The body needs zinc to process many nutrients including protein, vitamin A, carbohydrates, and other foods.

What does zinc do for the body of kids?

Zinc for kids helps in the growth of tissues and muscles, especially when your kids are changing so much because of puberty. This is why it is important to give kids zinc-rich diets or supplements that include zinc when they grow big.

How much zinc should a kid take daily?

The recommended daily allowance (RDA) of zinc depends on your kid’s age. There are different RDAs for boys and girls, too, because the body absorbs and needs different amounts of zinc during puberty. Here are some approximate RDA levels:

0-6 months: 2 mg/day 7-12 months: 3 mg/day 1-3 years: 4 mg/day 4-8 years: 5 mg/day 9-13 years: 8 mg/day 14+ years, including pregnancy and breastfeeding women: 11mg a day

Zinc supplements should be taken only after consulting a doctor or a health expert. The amount given will depend on your child’s age, weight, gender, medical condition, diet plan, and other factors.

Some Important Benefits of zinc:

Immune function:

Zinc is important for immune health. Natural killer cells are the white blood cells that recognize and destroy foreign or abnormal cells in your body, helping to prevent infection. Zinc boosts these cells’ activity. It also helps support other immune functions including antibody production, cell growth, wound healing, fighting bacteria, preventing diabetes, and reducing the risk of cancer.

Growth:

Adequate intake of zinc contributes to normal growth patterns in children. It may help control blood sugar levels in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus by boosting insulin secretion which can lead to weight gain.

The development of cartilage and bone:

Zinc stimulates osteoblast cells in the body that help build new bones. It also helps in collagen formation which is important for healthy bones, joints, ligaments, and tendons.

Vision:

Zinc is essential for good eyesight because it preserves the normal structure of the lens and retina (the light-sensitive layer of tissue at the back of your eye). The retina converts light into nerve signals that go to the brain, creating vision. Zinc also maintains tear production and protects against oxidative damage to cells in your eyes.

Thyroid function:

Thyroid hormones are made in part from iodine plus tyrosine, an amino acid derived from protein. Zinc deficiency can affect thyroid hormone levels in children.

Metabolizing carbohydrates, fats, and protein:

Zinc is important for the enzymes that convert carbohydrates, fats, and protein into usable energy.

Brain development:

Insufficient zinc can cause brain function to suffer because it plays a role in nerve sheath formation and brain signaling processes. Zinc also helps support memory and concentration. It is especially important during adolescence when new pathways between neurons are formed and more complex mental processing occurs.

Hair and skin health:

Zinc boosts cell division so it’s fundamental for healthy hair, nails, teeth, bones, muscles, joints, blood vessels, cells lining your mouth as well as your intestines. It also promotes wound healing.

Minor wound healing:

Zinc is important for tissue building and repair after a cut, so it speeds up healing.

Blood sugar control:

Zinc helps keep blood sugar levels stable because it supports the action of insulin, which removes excess glucose from your bloodstream to be used as fuel for energy. Zinc also stimulates the release of the hormone ghrelin that triggers hunger pangs and appetite. It seems counter-intuitive that mineral-like zinc can help reduce sugar cravings (and therefore limit weight gain), but there’s no doubt this happens.

Antioxidant activities:

Zinc neutralizes free radicals. It helps prevent oxidative stress that contributes to cellular damage leading to several chronic diseases including heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, arthritis, and cataracts.

Heart health:

People with low zinc levels have a significantly higher risk of developing coronary artery disease. Zinc reduces the stickiness of platelets so it prevents blood clots. It may also help lower total cholesterol and triglycerides while increasing HDL (“good”) cholesterol.

Cognitive function in school-age children:

Zinc boosts memory skills in kids aged 6-12 years old because it is involved in nerve signaling, protein metabolism, and brain development. This means better grades at school!

Preventing anemia:

Zinc is also needed for red blood cell formation, so it can help prevent anemia, especially among children and pregnant women.

Antibacterial activity:

Zinc kills bacteria on the skin to reduce the risk of infection. Some bandages are impregnated with zinc to speed up the healing of wounds when they are changed.

What are the different signs of zinc deficiency for kids?

1. Hair loss 2. Loss of appetite 3. Skin lesions 4. White spots in the eyes 5. Slow growth rate 6. Irritability, mood changes, or nervousness 7. Delayed wound healing 8. Poor immune system function 9. Dark skin patches 10. Slow mental development 11. Declining levels of HDL (“good”) cholesterol 12. Anemia

Zinc is an essential mineral that your kid’s body needs for normal growth and development – especially during puberty when his/her body is undergoing rapid changes and other important processes happen such as metabolic activities and muscle and tissue building or recovery from wounds and injuries. It also helps with good eyesight, memory, and thinking.

Some good sources of zinc for kids?

Oysters are the richest source of zinc, but it’s also found in beef, pork, lamb, turkey, chicken, crab, and lobster. Other sources include whole grains, fortified breakfast cereals, beans, nuts, cheese, seeds, and tofu.

Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, cashews, almonds, peanuts, ground beef, lamb fish (halibut, salmon), dark meat poultry (turkey thighs), oysters shellfish (lobster, crab), mushrooms millet especially bran cereal.

Conclusion:

Zinc can help kids in many ways. By increasing insulin secretion, it makes them feel more energetic and less hungry, which aids weight loss. Zinc boosts brain function and memory, protects the eyes, helps prevent anemia, and speeds up healing from small wounds. On top of that, zinc contributes to a healthy immune system to fight off infections.