Taking Zinc with Magnesium

[lovinggrandmother]

Has anyone any ideas how I can tell if I need zinc to go with my magnesium tablets please? I have been taking 2 x 100mg tablets magnesium for about a month now but was advised I should take zinc with them.

[Clutter]

Lovinggran, magnesium and zinc are co-dependant minerals and need to be kept balanced so, yes, should take mag and zinc together

[marigold22]

I watched a video yesterday with American doctor (can't remember his name right now), but he's brilliant. He explained that hypo patients need ten things to make sure they give their thyroid best chance of working. Protein, magnesium, zinc, B12, iodine, B2, vit C, vit D, vit A, selenium. He also recommended cod liver oil tablets as they contain 3 & 6 omegas, vit A & vit D. Also 10grams daily of glutamine. Plus bone broth! loads of goodness in the bones which normally get chucked away. Will return with his name.

[marigold22]

The video I referred to is by Dr Peter Osborne called Nutrition Functional Medicine Approach to Thyroid Problems. He's got other great videos- best to google his name. This doctor was mentioned in a post following the Daily Mail thyroid article.

[galathea]

Try eating a zinc tablet, if it tastes yuk, you have enough zinc so spit t out, if it tastes of nothing much, just chalk, swallow it.

I took zinc for a while then one day it tasted yuk, so I stopped taking them.

G x

[Hidden in reply to galathea]

That's a good quick and easy test Galathea. Plus, there's another one which differentiates degrees of deficiency/adequacy, if anyone wants to try it:

"The Zinc Taste Test is an easy, inexpensive, in-office and in-home testing method to assess zinc status1 based on studies of taste and smell to assess zinc status. While liquid zinc preparations can be used, lozenges such as PERQUE Zinc & Throat Guard Lozenge are effective and more convenient.

Directions

The test involves taking a sip of the solution (approximately 5-10 ml) and holding or swirling it in the mouth exactly ten seconds OR allowing a PERQUE Zinc & Throat Guard Lozenge to dissolve in the mouth. It is essential to refrain from eating, drinking or smoking for approximately one hour before the test to get accurate results.

The zinc taste test uses a test solution of zinc sulfate in purified water at a concentration of 1 gm/liter or a zinc lozenge. If used, the solution should be stored in a refrigerator and discarded after six months. The solution should be removed from storage and left at room temperature for about two hours before carrying out the test.

Expected Outcome

For the zinc taste test, the defined standards are:

1. Very deficient: no specific taste sensation: tastes like plain water. This indicates a major deficiency of zinc requiring supplementation of >150 mg of zinc per day.

2. Quite deficient: no immediate taste is noticed but, within the ten seconds of the test, a ‘dry’ or ‘metallic’ taste is experienced. This indicates a moderate deficiency requiring a supplement of 100 mg of zinc per day.

3. Slightly deficient: an immediate slight taste is noted, which increases with time over the ten second period. This indicates a deficiency of minor degree requiring supplementation of 50 mg per day.

4. Adequate: an immediate, strong and unpleasant taste is experienced. This indicates that no zinc deficiency exists. If this is the response to the first test done then obviously the diet already contains sufficient zinc and no supplement need be taken. A dose of 15-25 mg / day is usually sufficient to maintain adequate zinc status in people with only metabolic needs. Under stress or with toxin exposure, need for zinc can be 100 mg / day or more.

If more zinc than is needed is present, a distinctive small intestinal discomfort confirms excess zinc. As a water-soluble element, reducing zinc intake brings people back to homeostatic zinc balance."

[lovinggrandmother]

Thank you to everyone who replied. As always invaluable advice. Thank you.