It’s not an exaggeration or marketing-driven hyperbole to say that zinc is essential to your health. Many of you already know that, not just from personal experience but also from having read – to include visits to this website – that zinc is officially classified in medical circles as an essential trace mineral, vital to the proper functionality of many parts of the human body.
Zinc plays a key role in boosting your immune system and metabolism, as well making contributions to your body’s ability to heal wounds and promote your sense of taste, among other health benefits we will get to later.
It’s also worth mentioning that zinc picolinate, as manufactured and sold here, is gluten-free. That means it is devoid of the protein gluten found naturally in some foods such as wheat and barley that can be harmful to people with celiac disease or who possess other gluten sensitivities,
Not only is zinc produced naturally by your body, but it can also be found in many types of food. It is well-known as one of the most popular and respected supplements available to the public, easily accessible over the counter and, of course, online, in places just like where you are right now.
Zinc Picolinate and Its Touted Bioavailability
Most studies and articles you find on zinc and its benefits will be devoted to just zinc in general. It is worth noting, however, that there are numerous forms – varieties, if you will – of zinc that merit further examination and explanation. One of those is zinc picolinate, otherwise branded here as Zinmax. Other forms of zinc found in the marketplace include zinc citrate, zinc gluconate, zinc bisglycinate, zinc oxide, zinc sulfate, and zinc-l-carnosine.
What makes zinc picolinate, or Zinmax, unique is that it is bound to picolinic acid (a compound secreted by the pancreas) a small molecule that your body manufactures from tryptophan. In turn, tryptophan is an amino acid that boosts your cells’ absorption of minerals such as zinc. This helps justify zinc picolinate’s sterling reputation for its bioavailability. Among other remedial actions in your body, the presence of picolinate can support healthy zinc levels in your hair, urine, and red blood cells. It has even been noted for its tendency to support healthy taste receptors.
5 of Zinc Picolinate’s Best-Known Health Benefits
The kudos for zinc picolinate don’t stop there. Following are five of this supplement’s more renowned natural remedies, many or most of which are common to various forms of zinc:
Immune support. An argument could be made that zinc, in general, has caught up to and maybe even surpassed vitamin C’s status as the go-to remedy to fend off or at least reduce the severity of colds. Zinc picolinate accomplishes this role by controlling the production and activity of immune cells.
Treat/prevent acne. Earlier we mentioned how zinc picolinate can help with the health of your hair among other parts of your body. You can include acne on that list, as zinc can apply beneficial effects to both hormonal metabolism and sebum production. Sebum refers to the natural oily waxy substance that coats, moisturizes and protects your skin and hair.
Control diabetes and blood sugar. Zinc deficiency is often found in diabetics. That’s because the proper functioning of blood-sugar-controlling insulin requires sufficient availability of zinc.
Bolster testosterone levels and male fertility. Zinc plays a vital role in the production of sperm, which obviously is foundational to a man’s sexual potency, sex drive, and, yes, long-term sexual health. No wonder Men’s Health magazine has reportedly declared zinc “the ultimate sex mineral.”
Alleviate premenstrual syndrome. This is a common condition for women still in their reproductive years and it can be much more than an annoyance, pushing their quality of life out of whack. In a double-blind trial with dozens of young college-age women, those given 30 mg of zinc a day showed vast improvements in quality of life metrics, both for physical and psychological factors.
Since its early days known mostly for the handy skin-rash ointment bearing its name, zinc’s value in supporting our health has obviously blossomed into many areas and uses, more than just what we have listed here. If you have never used zinc picolinate before and are thinking about it, be sure to talk it over with your personal physician to make sure your body and the supplement will work well – and safely – together.