Nutrition ZINC Functions Case Study Assignment Paper

NUTRITION: ZINC CASE STUDY
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Nutrition: Zinc Case Study
Zinc is an important micronutrient needed in the body to perform different functions. The excess or lack of it leads to serious health effects. Therefore, a regular uptake of zinc in the required amount is essential for a healthy person. Foods to eat, supplements, and symptoms of its deficiency are sufficiently covered.
Zinc is required in the body for different functions such as DNA synthesis and replication, tissues repair and healing and in the tongue and nose for taste and smell (Wright, 2014). Zinc is also required as a component by over 300 enzymes that synthesize and metabolize proteins, carbohydrates, lipids and nucleic acids (Wright, 2014). Zinc is present in all tissues in the body, and especially highly concentrated in the skeletal muscles (Saaka, 200). It is therefore a very important micronutrient. Clinical diagnosis of low levels of Zinc in the body requires complex procedures such as metallothionein measurements, RNA measurements and protein measurement, which are expensive and complex to perform (DiSilvestro, 2004).
Consequently, clinical diagnosis of Zinc deficiency also entails observing a number of symptoms. Deficiency in Zinc is associated with low immunity since Zinc is required in formation of white blood cells and protection of the cell membrane (Axe, 2015). The low immunity may lead to persistent diarrhea, a sign of lack of enough Zinc. Zinc is required in storage of histamine; therefore, Zinc deficiency permits excess histamine to be released causing increased allergic reactions (Axe, 2015). Lack of sufficient Zinc also causes hypothyroidisms which leads to thinning of hair and alopecia. This may further be associated with skin rashes or acne. A patient suffering from low Zinc levels may show one of the above symptoms. In addition to that, Axe (2015) po...