Fulfilment of vitamins and minerals dietary needs is important to maintain health. One of the vitamins/minerals needed is zinc. This is one of minerals important for healthy immune system. Lack of zinc may cause a person to be prone to illness.

In a pandemic that we are now experiencing, good body immune system is vital. How can zinc helps in this situation? What is the proper intake of zinc?

The effect of zinc on Covid-19 patients

Zinc is a mineral essential in supporting cells activities such a growth, differentiation, and their life cycle. Also, zinc is a mineral vital in strengthening our immune system, but unfortunately, not many people are aware of this and overlook its importance. While needed, zinc is not naturally produced in our body hence we need to have it from our food or from supplements.

Lack of zinc is one of the factors contributing to respiratory tract infection, including those occurring due to Covid-19 and may cause increase of severity. Multivitamins containing zinc may assist our body to fight virus replication in Covid-19 infection. Apart from that, iron or zinc also maintain the barrier function in the respiratory tract ephitel and mucocilliar, as important co-factor in enzymes involved in immune system, and increase NK cell and macrophage activities, have role in profileration, differentiation, maturation of lymphocyte and other leucocyte.

The importance of meeting the requirement for zinc

Zinc is important not just for Covid-19 patients or in time of pandemic, but also important to all people in normal situation as apart from its role in maintaining respiratory tract health, it is also important in supporting the digestive tract.

Required dose of zinc is different based on age groups:

•Children 1-9 years of age would need 3-5 milligrams with increased dose according to their age. Male of 10-12 years of age would need 8 milligram per day. After reaching 13, the requirement increased to 13 milligram per day, same as required for adult male.

•For female above 10 years of age, their zinc requirement is 8 milligram per day. Those 13-18 years of age would have increased needs to 9 milligram per day.

•Nursing and pregnant women have increased needs for zinc to about 10-13 milligram per day, depending on how advance is the pregnancy.

To have an optimum fulfillment of zinc intake, you may take Theragran that contains a complete combination of 9 vitamins and 7 minerals, especially in vitamins A, C, and D; zinc and magnesium.

Meeting your needs of vitamins and minerals is vital to ensure that you are safe from nutrition deficiency that may lower your defense against sickness. Please ensure that you have adequate zinc intake to have better health and to lower your risk of getting ill.