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Zinc

Rockt

Senior Member
Messages
292
After months of struggling with a few of the co-factors, I'm finally able to tolerate all - except Zinc. I'm currently using zinc chelate, 25mg, and even at 1/2 a pill, every second day, I'm not tolerating it well - lots of malaise.

Any suggestions for a zinc that's more easily toilerated? What about a liquid that could be titrated up more easily?
 

xrunner

Senior Member
Messages
843
Location
Surrey
When I could not tolerate it I found that I could take zinc lozenges (solgar) for sore throat. Alternatively, you could try food state zinc or ionic zinc.
Alternatively you could try and assess via muscle testing what the underlying issue with zinc is and may be, use something like Naet to get round a possible sensitivity, assuming that's your case.
Zinc is a question mark for me. Klinghardt says that his mercury toxic patients are likely to get worse when taking zinc. Cutler instead says it's a key supplement to support detox.
 

Rockt

Senior Member
Messages
292
Hi Rockt,

Maybe you don't need it, especially if you're very young.

48, so not "very" young :) And I actually tested low, + Freddd recommends it as one of the co-factors, so I'm going to keep trying to find some that works.
 

Rockt

Senior Member
Messages
292
When I could not tolerate it I found that I could take zinc lozenges (solgar) for sore throat. Alternatively, you could try food state zinc or ionic zinc.
Alternatively you could try and assess via muscle testing what the underlying issue with zinc is and may be, use something like Naet to get round a possible sensitivity, assuming that's your case.
Zinc is a question mark for me. Klinghardt says that his mercury toxic patients are likely to get worse when taking zinc. Cutler instead says it's a key supplement to support detox.

Interesting about toxicty. I tested high for lead about 5 years ago. Underwent IV chelation and was "cleared" of it, but now I understand that it's not that easy. Thinking of trying hair analysis to see what toxins are lurking in me and then address them via slower, oral chelation like I believe Cutler recommends (haven't read his work and need to learn more).
 

Ema

Senior Member
Messages
4,729
Location
Midwest USA
I have had good luck with the Optizinc form. I've also used the liquid minerals from World Health Mall (iron and magnesium though not zinc) and been reasonably satisfied with them though not enough so to justify the higher price vs the traditional supps.
 

illsince1977

A shadow of my former self
Messages
356
After months of struggling with a few of the co-factors

It was nice to hear that someone else struggles to add things in one at a time and that success does not necessarily come automatically and easily. Thanks for making me feel not so all alone in this. :D
 

Little Bluestem

All Good Things Must Come to an End
Messages
4,930
I am getting along fine with Jarrow Zinc Balance. It has 15 mg zinc and 1 mg copper. I take two a day. I was initially taking both with supper. I cant take them with breakfast because that upsets my digestive system. I cant take them at bedtime because that causes poor sleep and weird dreams. I read that zinc does not last 24 hours in the body so I have spit the dose between lunch and supper.

I have read that zinc and copper are antagonistic minerals, so I was a little concerned about taking them together. The bottle says the capsule are a synergistic combination of Zinc L-Monomethionine and copper gluconate. Since Jarrow is a reputable company, I figured they must know what they are doing (and my zinc and copper are saying within acceptable ranges on my tissue mineral tests). I recently read that zinc and copper are used together in the body. If you take a much greater amount of one than the other, the greater one doesnt block the uptake of the lesser one, it causes all of it to be used up, thus causing a deficiency.
 
Messages
94
Location
California
Since I'm in the "low and slow" crowd, I crush up zinc and take just a few crumbs. So far, so good. I will increase slowly.
 

Rockt

Senior Member
Messages
292
It was nice to hear that someone else struggles to add things in one at a time and that success does not necessarily come automatically and easily. Thanks for making me feel not so all alone in this. :D

If it's any consolation, I struggled greatly with magnesium, Bcom and vit E, as well, and I'm able to take them now after finding the right brand or going "low and slow". So hoping for same with zinc.
 

Rockt

Senior Member
Messages
292
I am getting along fine with Jarrow Zinc Balance. It has 15 mg zinc and 1 mg copper. I take two a day. I was initially taking both with supper. I cant take them with breakfast because that upsets my digestive system. I cant take them at bedtime because that causes poor sleep and weird dreams. I read that zinc does not last 24 hours in the body so I have spit the dose between lunch and supper.

I have read that zinc and copper are antagonistic minerals, so I was a little concerned about taking them together. The bottle says the capsule are a synergistic combination of Zinc L-Monomethionine and copper gluconate. Since Jarrow is a reputable company, I figured they must know what they are doing (and my zinc and copper are saying within acceptable ranges on my tissue mineral tests). I recently read that zinc and copper are used together in the body. If you take a much greater amount of one than the other, the greater one doesnt block the uptake of the lesser one, it causes all of it to be used up, thus causing a deficiency.


This sounds reasonable. Might get some next order from Iherb. Thanks.
 

Sing

Senior Member
Messages
1,782
Location
New England
Zinc would be nauseating to me, too hard on the stomach, but I can take it without trouble when I crust a half of a 25 mg tablet (with my teeth), swallowing it in the middle of a good sized meal in the second half of the day. too much, too early and a whole solid tablet are recipes for problems. What zinc seems to help very noticeably with is skin and tissue healing. Seems to speed this along at twice the normal rate!
 

Rockt

Senior Member
Messages
292
Zinc would be nauseating to me, too hard on the stomach, but I can take it without trouble when I crust a half of a 25 mg tablet (with my teeth), swallowing it in the middle of a good sized meal in the second half of the day. too much, too early and a whole solid tablet are recipes for problems. What zinc seems to help very noticeably with is skin and tissue healing. Seems to speed this along at twice the normal rate!QUOTE]


I have terribly dry skin/scalp and gut issues so tissue repair would be really helpful.

I don't get stomach upset from zinc, but increased malaise. This was the same with the other supplements I had difficulty with.
 

Sing

Senior Member
Messages
1,782
Location
New England
Oh, so it is a different issue. We should have asked what kind of symptoms you have, in case anyone here could suggest something....
 

rydra_wong

Guest
Messages
514
Zinc causes nausea for me. Well it is very hard on the digestive tract (I mean this is objectively true). Thus not at all good to take at night as a stressed if not all-out upset digestive tract will keep you awake. I never take it w/o food. I never ever take it with coffee. Other than that - no clue. It bothers me too and I've taken it in random forms for a bazillion years.
 

Waverunner

Senior Member
Messages
1,079
I always feel a lot better when taking zinc but it irritates my stomach and intestine. Does anyone know a form of Zinc that is not hard on the digestive system?
 

Vegas

Senior Member
Messages
577
Location
Virginia
I think zinc can cause nausea if one has low stomach acid. I had that happen when taking zinc. Something to think about.

Yes, this is exactly right, it has to do with hypochlorhydria. The less acid one has the more trouble he/she has with zinc. While I am sure there are factors, I am convinced this is the principal reason for the adverse symptoms most report. For me, this has significantly improved with chelation and liberal zinc supplementation. Of course since zinc is necessary for HCL production, the problem is self-perpetuating because zinc absorption is inhibited by low acid. Early on, I used the strategy of taking zinc with meals, esp. protein, utilizing the acid-secretion in response to food. Of course, divided doses is also preferable as the adverse symptoms are clearly dose-dependent. As Xrunner suggested, zinc lozenges are good at mitigating the symptoms. One could try transdermal zinc. I like what Ema suggested, Opti-zinc, which is zinc methionine. This is far more tolerable than other forms of zinc.

Supplementing with B1 may help some as could Betaine HCL. PPI's and antihistamines make matters worse.
 

Crux

Senior Member
Messages
1,441
Location
USA
Hi;

I take New Chapters zinc food complex. I don't understand how it's compounded, but it gives me less gut trouble. The tablet has 30 mgs. of elemental zinc. I divide it with a pill cutter, but it does break unevenly, making it difficult to be precise.

I have also taken it in divided doses, approx. 7.5 at a time...no gut probs.

I believe that there is another factor with zinc that could be problematic. I think it may interfere with B12 by displacing cobalt. It may be better to take them separately. After taking zinc for 6mnths., I began to have some recurring symptoms of low B12,( fatigue,sciatica,shingles,canker sores, and mild neuralgia).

But, zinc has really helped my insomnia, anxiety, and gut trouble, ( constipation, flatulence).

I limit my zinc supp. to 15 mg. daily, and I've increased B12 to 10 mgs. (sublingual) daily now. I take the B12 in the morning, and zinc in the evening .
 

Waverunner

Senior Member
Messages
1,079
Thanks for the advice. I just ordered some OptiZinc (methionine) and some Zinc lozenges (lozenges work better than capsules or tablets in many studies).