The COVID-19 virus has been around us for more than 2 years now. As we work to get back to normalcy with vaccines and other measures, it’s also important to not let the guard down as the virus may return with new variants. Keeping our immunity in check is the best possible way to avoid potential infection and it’s important to maintain the level of nutrients our body needs. According to Harvard medical report, people with a deficiency of Zinc are likely to fall prey to the COVID-19 virus infection.
While the mineral is only needed in small amounts, it’s very crucial to maintaining good immunity and metabolism function. As per medical standards, an adult male needs to have 11 mg of zinc per day whereas an adult female should intake 8 mg of the mineral.
Zinc helps in cellular growth and its deficiency can lower the body’s immunity making the person more prone to new COVID-19 infections. The report states that the mineral even helps people recover from the infection in case it breaches the immunity of the body.
So how would you know if your body has the right level of zinc?
One of the most prominent signs of zinc deficiency is loss of taste and smell which incidentally is a major symptom of COVID-19 infection. Zinc deficiency is also indicated by poor appetite, diarrhoea, delay in wound healing and other such signs. In severe cases of zinc deficiency, impotency in males, delay in sexual maturity,and eye and skin lesions have also been reported. The deficiency can even cause unexplained weight loss and mental lethargy in some cases.
In case you experience these symptoms, it’s advisable to consult a doctor. To maintain a healthy zinc level, you may choose to include meat, poultry and other seafood items in your diet. Whole grains, fortified breakfasts are also good sources of zinc. While plant-based products like legumes and whole grains are also rich in zinc, their absorption in the human body is less due to the presence of phytates.
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