How Zinc Can Improve Your Bone Health In 3 Little-Known Ways - Save Our Bones

The trace mineral zinc plays a vital role in supporting bone health and many other functions within the body. This Foundation Supplement flows through nearly every part of the body, from the brain and kidneys to muscles and bones.

Zinc supports the function of hundreds of enzymes needed for biological functions, such as the conversion of CO2 in the lungs and protein digestion. It also performs a leading role in DNA transcription and the activation of signaling pathways.

When it comes to bone health, besides stimulating bone formation and mineralization, zinc protects in unexpected ways. By warding off depression, taste disorders, and vision decline, zinc gives your body the support it needs to maintain excellent bone health.

And those three unique ways in which zinc improves your bone health are the topic of today’s article.

Zinc Wards Off Depression And Protects Nerve Cells

Revealing scientific studies have linked depression with poor bone health, citing a decrease in bone mineral density and an increase in fracture risk.1 Minor to severe depression tends to set off a constant cascade of organic chemicals, including noradrenaline, through the sympathetic nervous system.

Many people with depression show low levels of zinc, and as symptoms worsen, zinc levels tend to plummet even more. But fortunately, depression can improve with a daily dose of zinc.

Zinc increases the production of a protein for the nerve synapses in the brain called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF).2 This compound is instrumental in helping nerve cells recover and repair damage, which aids to ward off depression by keeping the essential synapses active and healthy.

Synopsis

Depression releases substances that contribute to bone density losses and increase the risk of fractures. Zinc helps by increasing the production of a compound that stimulates healthy nerve cell activity and reduces levels of harmful substances.

Zinc Prevents Taste Disorders For Optimized Nutrient Intake

Your ability to properly taste your food and the overall health of your bones are interlinked – and it all comes back to zinc. Inadequate zinc levels in the body can lead to taste disorders that often result in worsened nutrient deficiencies.3 The health of your bones depends on adequate intake of nutrients, such as Vitamin D, calcium, and magnesium – to name a few. Without a healthy diet, your bones face increased risks of density losses, fractures, and other potentially painful or debilitating conditions.

Take zinc on a daily basis to reap the benefits of all its important biological processes, including the prevention of taste disorders. A diet rich in zinc-containing foods and proper supplementation, can help increase your appetite, resolve taste disorders and ensure you receive enough of the other nutrients you need for bone health.4

Synopsis

Taste disorders can decrease your ability to consume a healthy daily diet rich in Foundation Foods for the protection of your bone health. Zinc has the power to prevent and reverse taste disorder symptoms and improve your appetite, ensuring the intake of sufficient bone-building and health-promoting nutrients.

Helps Preserve Good Vision for Better Fall Protection

A reduction in your ability to see clearly can markedly increase your risk of falls. Studies have linked poor vision to balance difficulties, especially when it comes to central and peripheral vision impairment. These types of vision loss increase the risk of falls by threefold, posing a serious threat to the health of your bones.5

Zinc helps to protect your eyesight and your bones when adequate levels are acquired through a healthy daily diet and proper supplementation.6 This trace element improves cell metabolism to preserve the function of your eyes and your eyesight as a whole. Zinc also helps slow the progression of conditions that cause vision to decline and even reduce the loss of visual acuity by a large margin.

Synopsis

Vision decline can dramatically increase the risk of falls, which pose a threat to your bones and mobility. Adequate zinc intake improves cell metabolism and slows the progression of conditions that could decrease your visual acuity.

Daily Intake Recommendations For Zinc

A steady diet of Foundation Foods and supplementing zinc will keep it at healthy levels. Pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, cashews, spinach, and broccoli, are just a few examples of Foundation Foods that contain high levels of zinc.

The RDA for zinc is 11 mg for men and 8 mg for females a day. To maintain adequate levels of this important trace mineral, at the Save Institute we recommend daily supplementation with 25 mg a day of zinc orotate.

Synopsis

A diet rich in Foundation Foods and zinc orotate supplementation (25 mg daily) will help you keep your zinc levels within the desirable range.

Knowledge Is Power!

With your bone health dependent on so many factors, staying up-to-date on the newest developments can help you build better bones. Your newfound knowledge about zinc’s lesser-known roles in support of bone health, for example, can assist you in making healthier dietary decisions. So, stay tuned to keep learning about natural ways to improve the health of your bones.

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References:

1 Pizza G. et. al. “Depression As A Risk Factor For Osteoporosis.” Trends Endocrinol Metab. 2009 Oct; 20(8): 367–373. Web: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2764354/

2 Solati Z. et. al. “Zinc monotherapy increases serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels and decreases depressive symptoms in overweight or obese subjects: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial.” Nutr Neurosci. 2015 May;18(4):162-8. Web: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24621065

3 Pisano M., Hilas O. “Zinc and Taste Disturbances in Older Adults: A Review of the Literature.” Consult Pharm. 2016 May;31(5):267-70. Web: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27178656

4 Yagi T. et. al. “The role of zinc in the treatment of taste disorders.” Recent Pat Food Nutr Agric. 2013 Apr;5(1):44-51. Web: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23305423

5 Brundle C. et. al. “The causes of falls: views of older people with visual impairment.” Health Expectations. 2015 Dec; 18(6):2021-2031. Web: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/hex.12355

6 Rasmussen H. et. al. “Nutrients for the aging eye.” Clin Interv Aging. 2013; 8: 741–748. Web: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3693724/

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Comments on this article are closed.

  1. Michele Rogan

    HI Vivienne
    I got to a link the other day through your post on zinc
    that was a calcium supplement which had ashwaganda in it,
    and it was an algae-based calcium. could you please send me the link for this?
    I’m all out of calcium right now.
    Thank you so much for all you do! I read your book lent to me by my naturopath and I am eating so many veggies now! It’s hard to do the 80/20 in the am because I seem to need more protein in the am. I think I may be waiting too long to eat my breakfast. I love your posts so many great reminders about nutrition.
    I am loving my veggies!!!

  2. Michelle Gaffney

    Hi Vivian, I asked a very brief question by e mail of my personal health coach on the 9th of August. I asked the same question again on the 14th and again on the 15th. I paid 67 dollars for the program and included in the program was access to your own personal health coach. This I certainly am NOT getting !! I also messaged your facebook page and about it and left a comment on your facebook page. Again ignored every time !!! This is very bad business. Can you tell me why I am being ignored ? I have only asked a question of them a couple of times before and every time it’s the same thing – ignored and I have to beg for someone to get back to me through facebook. This time your facebook staff are even ignoring me. I paid for this service as part of my package and am absolutely not getting what I paid for. I am livid at this stage. Have you let all of your staff go ? as that is how it seems to be to me. It seems there is no one there to answer our questions.Can you please , please tell me what is going on ?? I am losing the will to live with this .
    Thank you
    Michelle

  3. ann

    What is the best way of getting the zinc value from spinach?

    • Vivian Goldschmidt, MA

      Hi Ann,

      A good idea is to include spinach in several meals a week, both cooked and raw. 🙂

  4. Sara K

    Vivian,

    As always thank you for improving my life and body through your program and it’s information. On the Zinc, I having having a time finding the zinc oratate in the 25 mg dosage; most are 50 mg or more. I have been taking SolarRay Bio-Zinc but I’d like to make the change but don’t want to take the higher strength if not needed. What do you suggest? Appreciate the help…..!

  5. Julie Rigg

    Vivian, I have been reading alot of articles lately about the dangers of taking Calcium. Is there any truth to this? Most articles have been written by doctors. Very confusing. Please advise. Thank you.

  6. Gail Giacomini

    I take zinc picolonate. What’s the difference between that and orotate? I take zinc for my white matter disease, hoping, with diet and exercise, to keep it from progressing, as well as for my bones.

    • Vivian Goldschmidt, MA

      Hi Gail,

      Zinc orotate has been chelated to orotic acid, and because of its neutral charge, it’s most readily absorbed by your body’s cells because it can pass through cellular membranes more easily.

      Zinc picolinate, on the other hand, has been chelated to picolinic amino acids. It’s more readily absorbed than forms of zinc such as zinc oxide, but it’s not as well absorbed as zinc orotate.

  7. Marilyn

    Hi Vivian,
    Do you have specific brand of zinc you recommend?
    Thanks.

  8. GR

    Is there a Save Institute located in or near Seattle, Washington?

    • Vivian Goldschmidt, MA

      Hi GR,

      The Save Institute is headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida, but we have a worldwide, online presence that can reach to all corners of the globe!

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