GERD, heartburn, immunity - importance of zinc

This post should be of interest to afibbers who have digestive disorders including GERD.

I was listening to an interview with an osteopathic physician and the issues of digestive ailments and GERD were mentioned. Typically, he addresses these problems with hands-on-physical manipulation of the organ systems (Osteopathy) as well as using Chinese Medicine (acupuncture) to open up or free the meridian (neural) pathways and has been able to clear up many problems with physical manipulation alone… my thoughts went to how much improved I became after my chiropractic diaphragmatic manipulation.

However, a very important, key point was mentioned regarding digestion and GERD and that is the importance of the mineral, zinc.

Contrary to conventional medical treatment, digestive disorders are often due to lack of stomach acid – hydrochloric acid – a condition called achlorhydria. (a) meaning without. This problem was covered extensively in the No More Heartburn series – Conference Room Session #63 [www.afibbers.org]

Zinc and digestive issues
What was not emphasized in that series though, was often when we discuss what actually causes GERD, heartburn and other digestive disturbances, we forget to get back to basics. Unless the basics are investigated, you can’t really correct the problem as one function depends on another and another. This investigation is typically something you can’t do on your own without adequate functional testing.

The importance of the zinc is often forgotten and it is crucial to digestion.

The Gut needs enough pancreatic enzymes and hydrochloric acid is what triggers the body to secrete those enzymes. In order to make stomach acid (hydrochloric acid HCl), the body must have zinc. Zinc functions in about 200 enzymatic reactions throughout the body.

The secretion of gastric acid is regulated by the autonomic nervous system and hormones. The parasympathetic nervous system (via the vagus nerve) along with the hormone, gastrin, stimulates the parietal cells (in the stomach) to produce gastric acid. Zinc is needed in this production sequence. If deficient, you can see that the result can be digestive ailments.

Food Sources of Zinc
Zinc, like other minerals, is now depleted from natural stores in major US farmlands, so you aren’t apt to get much from a typical diet even if it includes whole foods. Oysters have always been rich in zinc, but since oyster beds are now found to be contaminated with heavy metals and microbes, we are told not to consume oysters. Red meat and poultry provide the majority of zinc in the American diet. There again, we are told to limit red meat intake. Other shellfish supply small amounts and pumpkins seeds ginger root, pecans, split peas, Brazil nuts and whole grains supply some zinc.

Food sources of zinc [www.whfoods.com]
(I find it’s just easier to supplement with Zinc than try to calculate my daily quota. That way I know I’m optimal and since I have a thyroid problem, that’s important for me.)

Supplementing with Zinc
According to Encyclopedia of Nutritional Supplements (Michael Murray N.D.), the dosage range for zinc supplementation for general health support is 15 to 20 milligrams daily.. Since the Average American consumes about 10 mg daily, supplementing an additional 15 – 20 mg results in a daily intake of 25 – 30 mg for most people. For therapeutic supplementation used to address specific needs, the dosage range for men is 30 to 60 milligrams and for women, 30-45 mg daily.

The adult RDA for zinc is somewhat lower at 15 milligrams daily.

About 50% of people over age 50 have diminished stomach acid production and probably about 90% of the population are zinc deficient. Zinc is needed to fuel the adrenal glands. A zinc deficiency will lead to copper toxicity. Zinc is relatively hard to get in food whereas it’s not terribly hard to get too much copper. (Hair analysis is a reliable test to rule out copper toxicity).

Zinc is critically important to the immune system and these people typically suffer with gut infections. (Remember stomach acid/hydrochloric acid is the first line of defense to kill pathogens that come into the body through what we ingest. If we lack stomach acid or take drugs to prevent acid production, the risk for infection goes up.) Zinc is also an important antioxidant.

Testing for HCl
You can swallow a receiver that measures and transmits the gut pH readings.....
....or you can test and observe associative indicators such as:
- Stool testing indicates pH of stool which may lead to a clue about stomach pH.
- B 12 deficiencies often correlate with lack of or low HCl
- Check for H.pylori infection which can flourish in the presence of low stomach acid
- Signs of protein digestion indicated in the Comprehensive Stool Analysis testing would indicate low stomach acid.
-Yeast/Candida overgrowth can be a factor with low stomach acid
- Mineral deficiencies including zinc, copper, iron, calcium – typical with achlorhydria
- Hypothyroidism is commonly associated with low stomach acid which would relate to low adrenal function as well.

Testing for Zinc
Zinc levels can be tested through blood draw…see note at the end by Dr. Rogers on her preference.

Less expensive and more of just a screening evaluation, there are products one can buy to test for zinc adequacy. It’s a very easy taste test. You hold a bit of the clear solution in your mouth and register the taste sensation.

If it is tasteless, you are zinc deficient. If it tastes terrible or bitter, you have enough zinc. This liquid can be used as zinc supplement, so after testing, one can just swallow it and contribute to your daily dose.

There are many liquid zinc testing products on the market.

The nurse in my doctor’s office always gives incoming patients the taste test when she takes their vitals. They use Zinc Tally by Metagenics. [www.metagenics.com]

I use Zinc Challenge – Designs for Health.
[www.rockwellnutrition.com] for testing and

For a supplement, I use a chelated product, Metagenics Zinc A.G. as directed by my FM MD…Zinc (as zinc arginate†, glycinate†) 20 mg 1 tablet. [www.metagenics.com]

Here’s another similar testing product from Standard Process
[www.standardprocess.com]

[Just read these links for product description; you can find other similar products; they all work about the same.]

Since it’s always interesting to read what conditions or symptoms might present as sign of deficiency, I’m listing those mentioned in the Encyclopedia of Natural Supplements book. I’m sure there are many variations and opinions on the Internet as well. Note that the thyroid involvement isn’t mentioned and that’s one of the major issues with zinc deficiency.

Clinical Signs & Symptoms connected with zinc deficiency

Frequent and/or severe infections
Sleep and behavioral disturbances
Delayed wound healing
Psychiatric illness
Inflammatory bowel disease
Impaired glucose tolerance
Malabsorption syndromes
Reduced appetite, anorexia
Growth retardation
Loss of sense of smell or taste
Delayed sexual maturation
Night blindness
Impotence, infertility
All dermatological disorders
Abnormal menstruation
Dandruff and hair loss
Alcohol abuse
Connective tissue disease
Diuretic usage
Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Conditions or causes related to zinc deficiency or utilization of zinc
Anorexia nervosa
Fad diets
Protein deficiency
Vegetarianism
Alcoholic cirrhosis
Old age
Acute infections/inflammation
Alcoholism
Increased body losses: Starvation, burns, post-trauma

[/b]Conditions associated with decrease zinc absorption[/b]
Diabetes mellitus
High-fiber diet
High dietary calcium:zinc ratio
High dietary iron:zinc ratio
Alcoholism
Chelating agents
Acrodermatitis enteropathica
Dialysis
Achlorhydria/hypochlorhydria
Hepatic disease
Celiac disease
Inflammatory bowel disease
Diarrhea
Intestinal resection
Chronic blood loss
Short bowel syndrome
Pancreatic insufficiency

Daily zinc dosages should be increased in the following:
Old age
Pregnancy and lactation
Oral contraceptive use
Growth spurts and puberty.

It’s important to also mention that zinc is vvital to optimal immune system function, skin health, prostate function. Tissues that need high concentrations of zinc include bone, skin, kidney, liver, pancreas, retina and prostate.

The Copper Connection – relative to Zinc intake
This was not in the interview, but because it needs to be addressed, I’m quoting from other sources on the Copper connection.

Safety Issues – The principal toxic effects of zinc occur with prolonged intake at levels greater than 150 mg a day. These effects include copper-deficiency anemia, reduced HDL cholesterol levels and depressed immune function. Acute toxicity is quite rare because of the ingestion of large amounts large enough to cause toxicity symptoms (2 grams per kilogram of body weight) usually provokes vomiting. The area between severe deficiency and toxicity is termed the gray area of nutrition; somewhere in between these two states lie a point of optimum zinc nutriture. For zinc, the gray area is quite wide. It is probably the least toxic trace element. If taken on an empty stomach (particularly if taking zinc sulfate), zinc supplementation can result in gastrointestinal upset and nausea.

Zinc competes with copper for absorption and other minerals, (most notably calcium and iron), can adversely effect zinc absorption if supplemented at a high dose. Zinc supplements should be taken apart from high-fiber foods for best absorption. Zinc does not appear to interact in a negative fashion with any drug. (Murray – Encyclopedia Nutritional Supplements pp 188- 189)

Some recommend that if supplemental zinc is taken, then copper needed to be added as well… in a 10:1 ratio zinc to copper. My FM MD does not advise taking additional copper as it’s easy enough to get the 1 milligram and copper toxicity is not something one wants to deal with. While copper deficiency is not common, it does occur.

Copper is widely distributed in foods; the richest sources are oysters and other shellfish

(Some) Food sources of copper – mg/l00 grams (3.5 oz serving)
Oysters 7.6
Lamb 6.0
Crab 4.8
Dry roasted cashews 2.2
Brazil nuts 2.3
Olives 1.6
Almonds 1.4
Pecans 1.3
Chocolate .07

Safe and Adequate Dietary Range for Copper… there is no official RDA for copper.
(Encyclopedia Nutritional Supplements – Murray)

11+ years – 1.5 – 3.0 milligrams

Dosage ranges
The estimated safe and adequate intake of copper for adults is 1.5 to 3 milligrams. The optimal ratio of zinc to cooper is 10:1. Dr. Murray does not recommend taking copper at a level greater than 3 milligrams. If taking high-dose zinc therapy (more than 45 mg/day) it’s advisable to monitor LDL and HDL cholesterols. If significant alterations occur, reduce zinc dosage or increase copper dosage.

Copper Safety issues
Copper is an emetic. As little as 10 milligrams usually produces nausea and 60 mg usually produces vomiting. The lethal dose for copper may be as low as 3.5 grams. Definitely keep copper supplements away from children. Chronic copper toxicity is rare.

Interactions – A high intake of vitamin C, zinc, iron and other minerals may decrease absorption of copper.

Other Source Comments –

No zinc discussion would be complete without referring you to the expertise of fellow afibber, George Eby and his website – [www.coldcure.com] George has a wealth of information about the properties of zinc for shortening effects of colds as he formulated and patented the zinc acetate lozenges called ColdCure. Be sure to visit there. [coldcure.com]

Free-radical damage and aging:
Some minerals — such as iron, copper and
aluminum — are very powerful generators of free
radicals and lipid peroxidation products. Excess iron
and copper are associated with rapid aging and a
number of diseases, including diabetes,
atherosclerosis, neurodegenerative maladies and
cancer.
(Blaylock Wellness Report, Dec 2005)

Zinc deficiencies have been linked to mouth ulcers. One study indicated zinc supplementation helped heal canker sores 81% of the time in people with low zinc levels or low zinc-to-copper ratios.
(Digestive Wellness, Elizabeth Lipski, MS, CCN)

If you are zinc deficient, you could have a pancreatic digestive enzyme deficiency as well as a deficiency of carbonic anhydrase, the enzyme needed for making gastric HCl for digestion. With one deficiency of zinc, you have knocked out two important digestive enzymes.

With so little zinc to go around, the body may decide to prioritize: it may keep zinc inside the liver cell for another enzyme like alkaline phosphatase; or it may keep most of the zinc floating freely in the bloodstream so that it can be shuttled more quickly to whichever area most urgency needs it. For this reason, a serum zinc can look normal, while the RBC zinc test shows zinc as severely deficient. For this reason, the more areas you can measure minerals in, the better. If you can only afford one mineral, make sure it is not the serum or plasma, for the body keeps most of its deficient minerals scouting through the serum on the lookout for areas that need to be rescued the most. It is by looking at the minerals inside the cells that you can see how severely deficient in minerals you really are.
(No More Heartburn, Sherry Rogers, MD)

Zinc is a primary nutrient because it’s critically important for growth and wound healing. Zinc is essential to the cells that have rapid turnover, particularly the lining cells of the GI tract. These cells are replaced about every four days so zinc can be rapidly depleted in the body. In addition, zinc levels tend to be going down in the American diet. In older people, especially, it is not unusual to find evidence of zinc deficiency. Among it’s many functions, zinc also increases the release of vitamin A from the liver. If you are zinc deficient, you may actually have a nice storehouse of vitamin A in the liver and be unable to make use of it….. and vitamin A is another essential vitamin for digestive health. (Optimal Digestion - Chapt 19 by Jeffrey Bland, PhD)

Herbal treatment with bitters serves to stimulate digestion function and works well in some individuals.
(from the interview)

I hope this is useful information for afibbers who suffer from digestive issues. You should consider testing your zinc levels. I could go on with another ten page of quotes on zinc – but you have the idea.

Jackie

Thank you so much for this info. While I do not want to take a cafeteria approach to supplementation, I have been experiencing increased episodes of what I consider to be either gall bladder or IBS in the last year. At age 52 it seemed rather salient that 50% of folks my age have diminished stomach acid production and 90% being zinc deficient.

I hope that 30mg a day is a safe, sound starting point.