THE IMPORTANCE OF ZINC by ZOLTAN P. RONA, M.D., M.Sc. 

Zinc is becoming the most frequently prescribed supplement in holistic 
health centers and with good reason.  It can have a wide range of 
beneficial effects that include  enhancing wound healing, promoting a 
healthy immune system, optimizing sexual performance and balancing 
thyroid function.  Despite the fact that there are many thousands of 
published articles and books on the clinical importance of zinc, it seems 
that only nutritionally oriented practitioners are applying the available  
knowledge.     

Zinc deficiency signs and symptoms are similar to the general signs of 
malnutrition and include: growth retardation, infertility, delayed sexual 
maturation, low sperm count, hair loss, skin conditions of various types, 
diarrhea, weakened immune response, behavioral and sleep disturbances, 
vitamin A non-responsive night blindness, impaired taste or smell 
perception, impaired wound healing and white spots or horizontal ridges  
on the fingernails.  

The wound healing effects of zinc supplementation have been known since 
1955.  Many double-blind studies since that time have demonstrated zinc's 
ability to accelerate healing in post-surgical cases, leg ulcers and gastric 
ulcers.  One recent study showed that taking about 10 zinc lozenges 
(containing 23 mgs. of zinc) per day reduced the length of recovery from 
the common cold from an average of 10.8 days to 3.9 days.  One of the 
reasons for this may be because zinc is a cofactor for a number of enzymes 
involved in the immune response.  Zinc deficiency is associated with 
compromised immune response and normalized by zinc replacement 
therapy.  Studies done on persons suffering from AIDS have demonstrated 
zinc's importance with respect to the immune system.  Although not a 
treatment for AIDS, some clinicians have argued for its benefits as a  

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