Zinc is an incredibly important mineral to have in your brain! Although many know of the role of zinc in helping the immune system, it’s often overlooked just how important it is to our brains. Zinc is an essential trace element that plays a key role in protecting us from oxidative stress.
Oxidative stress can occur when we have too many free radicals in the body and not enough antioxidants. Luckily, by helping produce glutathione (one of the strongest antioxidants in our bodies) zinc can help reduce oxidative stress. Glutathione will neutralise the free radicals and repair any damage done.
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Zinc works closely with copper. Both minerals are essential for enzymes to work properly. However, we must ensure we get the right balance between the two. If we have too much zinc we may cause copper deficiency and vice versa. Metallethioneins, metal binding proteins will manage this balance. This ensures that our essential trace elements won’t go above safe levels.
A protein called ceruloplasmin plays a large role in managing zinc and copper. Not only does it help transportation of copper throughout the blood stream, it offers protection from free radicals. If you suffer from a deficiency in ceruloplasmin you may experience problems with your nerves.
Zinc can be found in red meat, poultry, beans, nuts and wholegrains. Most people will get enough zinc from eating a balanced diet. However, some people may be at risk of becoming deficient. Vegetarians may need to ensure they’re getting enough zinc as it’s not as easily absorbed from plant based food. Taking zinc supplements can help but should be done with caution so as not to upset the zinc/copper balance.
There has been a lot of interest recently around using zinc to help with cognitive disorders. Some studies show that taking zinc supplements may help with conditions such as depression and anxiety. More research needs to be done to fully understand the effects of zinc.
Overall it is clear that zinc plays a huge role in our bodies complex biochemistry. Its ability to help produce antioxidants, balance with copper and potentially affect our mental health makes it an essential mineral to have in order to keep our brains healthy. Further research may give us new insight into how we can prevent and treat neurological disorders so ensuring we get enough zinc should be part of a healthy lifestyle.