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Zinc supplements for type 2's

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R

Rapporman

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Hi. I am a type 2 male aged in my 70's and have been so for 20 years or more. I am on the maximum dose of Metformin @ 2000 mg daily and also take Lisinopril, Sitagliptin and Simvastitin as prescribed by my GP. I read in a recent Diabetic Association that zinc is important for diabetics and my question is that bearing in mind my current medication, is there any reason why I should not take a zinc supplement of 15mg daily. Also, does anyone know of possible side effects associated with zinc?

Any advice would be most welcome.
 
The specific information from thst useful link from Trophywench being:

Good sources of zinc
Zinc is found widely in the environment. Good food sources of zinc include:

?meat
?shellfish
?milk
?dairy foods, such as cheese
?bread
?cereal products, such as wheat germ.

How much zinc do I need?
The amount of zinc you need is about:

?5.5-9.5mg a day for men
?4-7mg a day for women
You should be able to get all the zinc you need from your daily diet.

And, welcome to the forum!

Andy 🙂
 
Many thanks for your replies.

In answer to you both, I don't know if I am deficient in zinc or not but I have read various diabetic websites that suggest diabetics tend to have lower levels of the mineral and as I rarely eat meat and never eat shellfish, I thought I would try a small daily dose of 7.5mg (half a tablet), just in case. Another factor I have borne in mind is that whenever I suffer a small cut or minor injury, it takes an exceptionally long time to heal and I thought perhaps it could be a shortage of zinc. However, seeing as the NHS website recommend not exceeding a whopping 25mg , I think my modest intake should do no harm but I was hoping to hear from other contibutors to this forum who take a zinc supplement and could confirm whether or not it had done them any good or whether they had any side effects 🙂

One of the websites I refer to is :-http://www.peakhealthadvocate.com/841/zinc-lowers-blood-sugar-improves-cholesterol-levels-in-people-with-diabetes/
 
I've always believed and am still convinced that a good, varied diet, fresh air and exercise is enough to ensure that we get sufficient vitamins and minerals without needing to take regular supplements. Blood tests over the years have proved me correct, at least in my own case. The only time I take any supplements is when I have a cold or occasionally when I'm particularly anaemic. Otherwise they're just an unnecessary expense.
 
Many thanks for your views AlisonM. I agree with you that it is best not to take any supplements at all but for the reason stated in my post I thought a small amount of zinc may replace what diabetes has taken away, in the same way you may have taken a supplement to replace the iron in your body. Unfortunately, as I have got older, I don't exercise as much as I used to nor do I eat as heartily and living in a gardenless flat doesn't help with the fresh air aspect, so I hope you can see my point of view. In the meantime, is there anyone out there who has taken a zinc supplement and can tell me of any side effects. 🙂
 
Not changing the subject here but because it's motivating you in your search for reasons - you do realise I suppose that higher than normal blood glucose levels significantly and adversely affect healing ?

So I'd first want to be sure that my BG was as 'normal' as it possibly could be. Is yours?
 
Rapporman said:
Many thanks for your views AlisonM. I agree with you that it is best not to take any supplements at all but for the reason stated in my post I thought a small amount of zinc may replace what diabetes has taken away, in the same way you may have taken a supplement to replace the iron in your body. Unfortunately, as I have got older, I don't exercise as much as I used to nor do I eat as heartily and living in a gardenless flat doesn't help with the fresh air aspect, so I hope you can see my point of view. In the meantime, is there anyone out there who has taken a zinc supplement and can tell me of any side effects. 🙂
Click to expand...

Hi, I read this on the NHS website about vitamins and minerals.

What happens if I take too much zinc?
Taking high doses of zinc reduces the amount of copper the body can absorb. This can lead to anaemia and to weakening of the bones.

I think if you were taking the reccomended daily amount either through a varied diet or as a supplement should be enough. I searched other websites and none mention side effects of zinc supplements. One other website showed this:

The dangers involved with zinc supplements are easy to avoid as long as you monitor your intake. Developing a toxic level of zinc in your system takes time, so take a moment to evaluate your intake and decide whether or not you are in danger. Zinc is essential to your mind, body, and health, so no matter how you get your zinc, do not forget that without it, you probably would not have made it out of bed this morning.

My husband takes a multivitamin and mineral tablet once a day that he bought from the chemist. He seems to thrive well enough on that. I don't take or use any supplements at the moment. 🙂
 
Hi Trophywench. Yes, I am aware that high BG can adversly affect healing and it is most likely this is happening in my case, although I am no longer monitored by the diabetic team as they are satisfied with my overall BG levels and only see me once a year now. When I attend next I will ask the team about zinc and request a blood test to find out if the zinc has had any ill effects. 🙂
 
Many thanks Cat1964. I think you have answered my question, although I am aware too much zinc will probably be very harmful and that's why I only intend to take a daily dose of 7.5mg. As mentioned in my previous post, if the NHS recommend not exceeding 25mg, my modest intake will probably do me no harm but may well do me a bit of good. My philosophy has always been to take anything in moderation and you will live to a ripe old age. 🙂
 
There was a study about 12 years ago, looking at recovery from colds with/without zinc lozenges. I think the outcome was a tiny difference in favour of zinc, something like a half-day faster recovery time. Participant numbers were quite small, so it wasn't clear if this was statisticaly significant.
 
I take some vitamin supplements, but not those with zinc. But I eat a lot of nuts and those do contain zinc.

By the way, are you happy about your overall BG levels? You team may be, but what they consider to be OK may be still high enough to have adverse effects on your body. If you are happy, then that's all OK.

To explain that statement, I've found it much easier to fight off winter colds since my HbA1c has been in the 5's and 6's then when it was higher.
 
That's my theory too Mark.

If you have cash to spare for Zinc supplements IMHO it would be far better spent on test strips if you can't get them prescribed. It's amazing how many minor and major health concerns disappear once you get your BG under 24/365 control.
 
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