Zinc is an important mineral especially for us hypos. When it comes to blood tests, it should be noted these are NOT reliable for determining whether or not you have a deficiency.
"Levels of zinc either in plasma or serum are not reliable indicators for establishing a diagnosis of zinc deficiency. Normal values may be obtained in the presence of subclinical zinc deficiency. Therapeutic response in suspected cases remains the gold standard of diagnosis."
Here's some key takeaways from my research into zinc so far:
- Zinc deficiency can be a cause of hypothyroidism
- Zinc deficiency may result in decreased thyroid hormone levels and zinc supplementation improved thyroid function in deficient patients
- Zinc is required for the T3 receptor to adopt it's biologically active confirmation. Some of the effects of zinc deficiency therefore, may be due to loss of zinc from the T3 receptor and impairment of T3 action.
- Zinc plays a role in T3 binding to the nuclear receptor as well as the binding of the receptor to DNA. T3 receptors may lose their ability to bind to DNA without zinc.
- Hypothyroidism reduces intestinal zinc absorption (so we need even more than "normal" people)
- Thyroid hormones are essential for the absorption of zinc, and hence hypothyroidism can result in acquired zinc deficiency
- Hypos excrete more zinc through the kidneys than normal people
- Hypos tend to have less zinc in serum than normal people (although serum tests are not a good measure of deficiency)
- Hypo hair loss may not improve with thyroxine unless zinc supplements are added
- Zinc may contribute to conversion of T4 to T3
- Zinc is required for the proper function of the “enzyme 1,5’- deiodinase,” involved in converting T4 to T3. The enzyme activity reduces by 67% during zinc deficiency.
- Zinc increases T3 levels
- Zinc reduces Reverse T3 levels
- Zinc is significantly and positively correlated with T3 but not with T4 or TSH
- Zinc deficiency is associated with low TRH - the thing that stimulates TSH to go up when needed. Therefore you can have a much lower TSH (than it would be if you had enough TRH) that will not reflect your free T3 or T4 levels and then you could be misdiagnosed and told you are normal like GPs do when the TSH is within range. This zinc interaction may be a HUGE reason why so many of us are misdiagnosed.
- Zinc increases Resting Metabolic Rate
- Zinc supplementation can drastically improve weight loss
- Zinc deficiency is associated with reduced IGF-I
- Zinc can help repair the thyroid problems caused/worsened by radiation and electromagnetic fields from computers
- Zinc is great but with selenium it is awesome! Taking both zinc and selenium causes a significant increase in free T3 levels, a significant decrease in TSH and an increase in T4 levels.
- However, note that zinc consumption has the potential to lower serum ferritin, iron and copper levels. It is important to supplement these to balance. Iron and Copper are other very important minerals the thyroid needs.
- Zinc competes with iron so do not take it at the same time of day.
- The body is not great at storing zinc, so you should supplement it (or ensure you get it from diet) on an ongoing basis.
great article - like the comment that zinc plus selenium raises metabolic rate and I would add I think if you additionally add magnesium you are even better off
A simple way to make a major health improvement - if this is what you need of course !
- However, note that zinc consumption has the potential to lower serum ferritin, iron and copper levels. It is important to supplement these to balance. Iron and Copper are other very important minerals the thyroid needs.
Yes, but... Zinc and copper do need to be balanced, but the problem is that hypos are usually low in one or the other. So, whilst it may not be reliable to test zinc, testing zinc and copper at the same time will give an idea of which you are high in, and which you are low in. If you are low in zinc and high in copper, taking more copper is a very bad idea!
Many in the modern world are deficient in copper, particularly women who have had multiple pregnancies , who have breastfed, people who have dieted a lot or don't eat well, and the elderly. However, there are some conditions that can cause high copper, and as always people should check out before supplementing whether a supplement is suitable for them individually.
Blood tests for copper are not that useful as: "neither plasma Cu nor plasma cuproenzymes reflect Cu status precisely" and even certain ones will only show severe deficiency, not "marginal deficiency or excess." pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/176.... Therefore, like zinc, the so called "gold standard of testing" may be to try it and see how you get on with it (unless you know you are high or are likely to be high in it because of a condition).
Also, even if your copper levels are perfect, if supplementing zinc over time, the copper and ferritin will diminish unless replaced by diet or supplementing. If people decide not to up ferritin and copper at the same time as they are upping their zinc, then they should at least be aware of this possible interaction between minerals.
As many of the minerals compete with each other in the body for absorption, if supplementing, you should not take them at the same time of day as each other, and ensure they are taken hours apart from each other. Many multi vitamins/minerals don't really take this competition for absorption into account even when they claim to be "chelated", and also contain minimum amounts of the minerals often in their cheapest and least absorbable forms. While budget is an issue for many, a better form of each individual mineral will pay dividends for your health.
If there is not enough time/meals in the day to take individual pills, then an alternate day regime for supplementing may work well. An alternate day regime is shown to be best for the intake of iron/ferritin anyway on blood levels (according to studies), and I wonder if that could be the case for many of the other minerals too.
As always, when supplementing, be careful to not overdo it, as excess can be toxic.
Be aware also, supplementing with iron or calcium reduces serum levels of zinc. As many of us women have at some point supplemented with iron due to blood loss, this is yet another indication we may well be deficient in zinc.
This is very interesting, I found it while searching for reasons that my zinc is consistently low, (although not below Range yet) and dropping, despite taking a (prescribed) mega dose for 8 months now. If the serum test isn't reliable is it also possible that it's not as low as it looks? My copper is also on the low side but iron, ferritin both relatively good. I was surprised to see you can't take mag and zinc together, I thought you should, but neither with calcium or iron. Only gleaned from the internet so have I got it wrong? So confused! Having to absorb all this info with brain fog is seriously challenging!!!
Also my selenium is quite high (130 μg/L Range 70 - 150), should I supplement anyway? I know an excess is bad too, and I love Brazil nuts!
Also my selenium is quite high (130 μg/L Range 70 - 150), should I supplement anyway? I know an excess is bad too, and I love Brazil nuts!
No you don't need to supplement with that level.
Brazil nuts only contain selenium if they have been grown in selenium rich soil and to know this you read the information on the packaging. If it doesn't say "Grown in selenium rich soil" then they are unlikely to contain any selenium
Thanks SeasideSusie I buy them at a wholesale nut and seed place here in Greece so never see any packaging! They taste better than any I've ever bought in the UK! So should I take my zinc separately from the magnesium? And is it OK to take magnesium with chia seeds? That's my bedtime drink nowadays... hot chocolate is just a distant memory!
When you're taking zinc and magnesium together, it's all about the dosages. The best supplement dosage for you depends on your individual needs—so make sure you're discussing any new supplements with your own health care provider first—but there are some general guidelines.
While the two minerals work synergistically, research shows that taking too much zinc, or about 50 milligrams per day, can decrease the amount of magnesium you absorb and negatively affect magnesium balance. But that's a hefty amount of zinc, exceeding the recommended upper limit of 40 milligrams per day.
And is it OK to take magnesium with chia seeds?
I've no idea about that, but chia seeds are a good source of magnesium so maybe be aware of the total amount of magnesium.
I'm on mega doses of both so I'd better separate them... they were prescribed by my 'health care provider' and she said they were fine together but frankly don't have much confidence in her! Magnesium is relatively high (2.1 mg/dL Range 1.6 - 2.6) but not dangerously so, I'll keep an eye on it. Thanks for the advice
I don't know if you can get it in the UK but I take unipharma Zinc Fix Gluconate 50mg. It's a chewable tab, not a nice taste but supposed to be easier to absorb. When I was in the UK I used Pure encapsulations zinc picolinate 30 as I couldn't find the zinc fix. No idea if these are the best, but was prescribed by my endocrinologist
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Low zinc, still falling despite supplementing.
