Zinc which is also known as spelter, is a metallic chemical element and mostly could be found in Australia, Asia, and the United States. Also if you see some movies where in some old tribes show magic by making white smoke to impress their foreign guests, guess what they used, if you guessed Zinc, then you’re right, it’s burnt in the air to produce that smoke. It has been documented to be around since the 13th century BC. In terms of its history, the German chemist Andreas Sigismund Marggraf has been widely considered to be its discoverer in its pure metallic form in 1746. Aside from it being an essential mineral in the maintenance of health it has other compounds such as zinc carbonate and zinc gluconate which are commonly used to make dietary supplements.

White Blood Cell Production and Immune system

Zinc has been shown to be a valuable mineral in the increase of production of white blood cells. So far this has been thought to be its primary and most essential purpose. As some of you may already know white blood cells fight infection and with increased production of more healthy cells it allows the cells to be more aggressive in doing its main function which is to fight against disease, and cancer deserves a special mention on this one. Aside from severe cases like cancer it also helps white cells secrete more antibodies. T cells, which are most responsible in defending the immune system from infection, especially in people of age, increases in number when the needed Zinc levels in the body is met. Not only that, these T cells also function in such a way that your immune system develops a sort of a memory or learning so to speak that will help the immune system fight the same infection that it overcame before.

Zinc has been shown in many studies that lowered levels of Zinc in the body will hinder its function to fight against diseases and free radicals which bring more severe problems like cancer if left unattended for long periods of time. The theory is simple really, white blood cells boost the immune system, Zinc increases production of white blood cells, therefore, Zinc plays a major role in the maintenance of your immune system. Although it has been widely thought that complete depletion of Zinc in the body is virtually impossible it also is not easy to reach the recommended levels through diet alone. So supplementation would be recommended.

Other Benefits For The Body

Zinc deficiency has been linked to increase in the chances of different diseases to develop and one of them is prostate cancer although its precise role is still unclear and in many cases its role in prevention is controversial, one thing is certain, majority of prostate cancer patients are deficient in Zinc. Other diseases include growth impairment and cognitive development in children and in lesser severity it may cause skin dryness, reduced fertility, loss of appetite and hair loss.

Strontium is an essential ingredient in the formation of bone. It is not an element that many are familiar with, although Strontium 90 was a 1977 British band that first brought together Sting, Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers before they formed Police. That information, however, will not help your arthritis or osteoporosis. What will help is a supplement of strontium.

This element is an essential component of bone, even though it is present in very small quantities. What it does is to catalyze the fusion of calcium that forms bone structure, and if your bones are weak a supplement of strontium should generate fresh bone from the calcium in your diet and help reduce the potential for your limbs to fracture.

Along with strontium, you should take foods or supplements containing calcium, potassium magnesium and vitamin D. All of these are involved in building strong bones, although strontium is often the one that is missed.

Author Bio: Boost your immune system with Zinc daily at VitaNet 7reg;, LLC Vitamin Store. http://vitanetonline.com/

Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Keywords: Zinc, Immune Boost, Essential mineral, Bone Health