# Come back zinc! Come back! Zinc! Zinc!



## Caedmon

Heh, sorry for the Simpsons allusion in the title. What else was I going to write. Anyway.

I am very interested in zinc lately. Apparently depressives tend to have lower zinc levels, and zinc supplementation can have an antidepressant effect. Zinc is also an NMDA antagonist, which may be helpful to anxiety (another NMDA antagonist, the tuberculosis drug D-cycloserine, has been shown to be helpful in exposure therapy for social anxiety). It's thought that zinc exerts effects on this NMDA receptor complex as well as doing other things to increase brain cell generation.

Here is some more information (the first link is full-text, a good source): 
Zinc and depression. An update.
Zinc: the new antidepressant?

Zinc also has some role in regulating dopamine receptors:
Dopamine receptor regulating factor, DRRF: a zinc finger transcription factor.

I thought it was interesting. I would like to try zinc supplementation next before having to go back to increasing my prescription meds. I'm only taking 15mg a day, would like to try 50-75mg.


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## jc/sc/anxiety22

Hi Caedmon,
I'm also 23 years old, but i've been told by my homeopathic doctors that i have the insides of a 50 year old man with increased estrogen production. Nevertheless, i have been taking this wonderful mineral zinc(50mg) alongside my current regimen. When taken seperately, the zinc has helped substantially with my skin condition of rosacea, it gives you a calming spacey feeling in your brain not as good as xanax or some bacardi, but comes pretty close, no exageration. It helps me with my mental apathy, which was a big problem for me while on xanax, and has increased my sperm production. As to making me happier, i don't feel like it's a happy pill, or that good feeling i get from alcohol, but it helps me handle stress better, and my anxiety is virtually non-existant except for occasional awkrardness. I know that zinc supposedly increases testosterone levels, and has numerous benefits, but i'm also wary of some research that indicates that it could cause alzheimer's disease and prostate cancer.


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## rusalka

so this might explain why I've been having zinc deficiency for the past three years...very depressed, stressed out years... 

Thanks Caedmon


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## kintrovert

Yea, I've read similar things about zinc (although not nearly as in-depth as the links Caedmon provided probably are - I haven't clicked on them yet, but I'm guessing they are pretty thorough). I added zinc capsules to my supplement routine 4 or so months ago - it's hard to say whether they have helped or not. I'd say that they have provided additional benefit - even if it is "marginal". I started out taking one 50mg capsule, but I've since changed to 30mg capsules that also have 2mg of copper in them. I'll probably try going back up to the 50mg, or simply take an additional 30mg capsule each day (giving me 60mg total for the day).

There is this liquid you can purchase that is supposed to give you a good indication of whether or not you're zinc deficient. It's called Zinc Status...it's like a "taste test" - simply put, if you notice a strong, metallic taste immediately, your zinc levels are likely fine. If you can't taste it at all, or only taste it somewhat, you very well may be zinc deficient. I purchased this test months ago, and my results are what prompted me to buy zinc supplements. I did the test a few days ago, and I'm still not at the point where I notice an immediate strong taste - the taste is still very faint to me, so I guess I'm still zinc deficient - maybe.

Of course few things in life are "cut and dry" - least of all nutrition - so the taste test might not be the "Holy Word" - but it may be well worth a try. Here is a link to the item:

http://www.vitacost.com/EthicalNutrientsZincStatus


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## Panic Prone

Try ZMA. The combination puts me into a solid state of sleep every night. Works better then anything I have ever tried. I wake up a lil drousy but atleast I allow my body and mind to recover from the previous days activities.


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## rusalka

Does anyone else who take Zinc feel really horrible afterwards?? I take 50 mg a day. Within 30 minutes I feel this horrible indescribable feeling all over my body. I can't do anything except lie down and wait until it goes away... 

???


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## Panic Prone

Poeme said:


> Does anyone else who take Zinc feel really horrible afterwards?? I take 50 mg a day. Within 30 minutes I feel this horrible indescribable feeling all over my body. I can't do anything except lie down and wait until it goes away...
> 
> ???


50mg is a lil high if your not doing some strenious physical activity. Do you take this dose all at once? You may be taking too much.


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## rusalka

Panic Prone said:


> Poeme said:
> 
> 
> 
> Does anyone else who take Zinc feel really horrible afterwards?? I take 50 mg a day. Within 30 minutes I feel this horrible indescribable feeling all over my body. I can't do anything except lie down and wait until it goes away...
> 
> ???
> 
> 
> 
> 50mg is a lil high if your not doing some strenious physical activity. Do you take this dose all at once? You may be taking too much.
Click to expand...

I take it at once, yes... That's probably why.... Thank you PP


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## Caedmon

50 might be too high for you, period.

I realize that by noting the amount I was thinking of taking, it may lead people to try these doses for themselves. BTW I take 65mg a day. While I like taking 65 per day, it's not for everyone! Most people should probably start with 25 or so. A safe upper limit for most people is going to be 40 mg. There are some people who can probably take more but I'll let you decide if you are that sort of person (ooooh) 

http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/minerals/zinc/

I like zinc. I followed my mood charts since adding it and I haven't had as many spikey ups-and-downs in my anxiety as I did before. If that makes sense.

ZMA is zinc, magnesium, and vitamin B6. You can buy formulas that put these together or you can take it separately.

I take B6 as part of a B-complex, and I don't take magnesium (I used to, but it was making me depressed).


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## RacerX

ZMA is great for insomnia plus its a test booster.


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## Panic Prone

Caedmon said:


> ZMA is zinc, magnesium, and vitamin B6. You can buy formulas that put these together or you can take it separately.
> 
> I take B6 as part of a B-complex, and I don't take magnesium (I used to, but it was making me depressed).


there's science behind ZMA* IF taken separetly you won't get the same effects. The exact dosages make it effective as well.


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## millenniumman75

I bought this version of supplements for active people (yes, I run a lot :stu). I noticed that it has a good dose of zinc, but morese iron. Man, that stuff - I would take one pill and then be sick to my stomach (Iron does that). Would Zinc do the same thing?


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## Caedmon

Zinc could cause nausea, at times - if it did then I would more suspect that it is too much for you (i.e. some zinc toxicity is creeping in). But you would have to take it separately to really know, of course.

Normally people don't feel sick after taking a multivitamin, and those often contain 15mg of zinc. Keep this in mind too for dosing purposes.


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## Stirner

Sounds interesting. Im going to try it out. 

But i have one question though: how is zinc absorbed in the body and how long will it take to build up a proper level?

thx


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## Caedmon

Hmm, I'm sorry, I'm not sure I understand how your first question is meant (or if I would even know an answer!). Do you mean, the best way to supplement? Or the biochemical pathways &c? 

Nowak et al did a study (2005) on the combination of zinc + antidepressant and found a difference after 6 weeks vs. placebo. (Check out the first hyperlink at the top of the thread.) So... maybe 6 weeks?


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## Stirner

What i meant was kind of like the difference between vitamins, some are stored in the fat tissue while other are "flushed" out. I was trying to find out the same for zinc. It would be interesting to know whether you should feel the effect right away after supplementation, or you would have to wait several weeks...

Actually the reason i got interested is because i was eating some breath mints containing zinc yesterday, and i felt really good, especially my voice was clear and not forced like normally. But the placebo is a strange cousin... 

But anyways you given me the answer i was looking for, i´ll try it out for 6 weeks!

Thx again!


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## Caedmon

Ah I see what you mean. Well, zinc is stored inside cells throughout the body. But as I understand it, since it is a cellular storage site, it is lost easily as well. Zinc is not stored in specific fat or liver sites or anything like that, to my knowledge. I am not a nutritionist, I could be wrong, but what I understand is, if you were to compare it to vitamins it would be more comparable to the water-soluble ones.

Here is some technical info:
http://www.chem.northwestern.edu/~ohallo/zinc.html

I would guess it takes time to effect a difference in mood and stress because it takes time for zinc to increase BDNF which causes regeneration of nervous tissue. If it regulates the way dopamine is produced, then it would take time to set that in motion. If it has anti-inflammatory properties, then I'm sure it takes a while to do that - I want to say it does because I think that it does, but I can't remember where I read it, so I'll have to leave that off for now.

However, I have read of some agents which are NMDA antagonists (like zinc) acting as antidepressants within hours. Then again I've also read of these types of agents being slow and subtle at retraining fear responses. So, I guess you could see a change anywhere from instantly to 6 weeks later, _if_ the change was going to happen.

That's a lot of 'if's. I believe they've only done one randomized placebo-controlled trial on zinc. I guess my view is that it is mostly a "low-risk" treatment option when done prudently, so, in weighing pros and cons I decided it was worth trying for myself.

One important difference between zinc and some of the water soluble vitamins, would be that levels of zinc which are too high induce copper deficiency, and so even if one restores a better zinc balance the copper deficiency remains until that is brought back up. I would direct you to this article, Zinc Toxicity by Fosmire. Click on Full Text (PDF) at the side.


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## Stirner

Thx for the reply and even though you are not a nutritionist i think you did well.

So, different effects well kick in after different time intervals. This means that it might not have been a placebo effect i witnessed. But the odds still favors that it is though. 

I´ll see if i can find some Zinc tomorrow, since these zinc breath mint are beginning to get disgusting. :b 

Of course i´ll give an update on how thing goes..


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## Stirner

Ok.. Been eating 40-60mg zinc a day for 10 days now and i dont feel any difference. Im going to finish the bottle though before i´ll consider Zinc to be ineffective for me.


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## Beggiatoa

*bump*


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## Equisgurl

you have to take it with food, otherwise it can cause neusea. I just take it because it keeps my skin clear, I used to break out pretty bad prior to using it.


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## proximo20

Yes the form of zinc and what you take it with is important, otherwise the nausea is terrible. I would not recommend it taking it with dairy, nuts or meat.

When I was using it, I was taking it with a muffin and no nausea.

Zinc has a tranquiliser effect. But not everyone notices it.


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## Noca

My zinc levels are normal, its my iron that is low.


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## Beggiatoa

I definitely notice the calming effect. I've considered taking it at night because it also functions in increasing testosterone.


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## Maverick34

Beggiatoa said:


> I definitely notice the calming effect. I've considered taking it at night because it also functions in increasing testosterone.


[email protected] definitely notice the calming effect.

Me too 10 minutes after taking it, & I'm only chipping the capsule. I might be feeling less depressed & overall calmer but to soon to really say yes on that. Two days on it though & Zinc is already a keeper!

Got Inositol & Chromium Picolinate to try next. Taking 1 supplement at a time so I can see what it does & doesn't do.

This is the link that led me to all this https://www.spectracell.com/media/uploaded/c/0e2043073_casestudy15anxiety0509.pdf


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