Let's first start off with functions of zinc.
What are some of the ways that zinc is critical?
What are some of its very, very important
functions?
[inaudible 00:00:20], I'm trying to get my
feet up so I can say hello to you guys.
We've got a slow internet tonight.
Again, functions.
Functions of zinc.
Now, zinc is critical, plays a role in a couple
of hundred different functions that we know
of.
Some of those functions are the regulation
of the structure and shape of different proteins
in your body.
Some of those are functions in creating tissue,
so creating different types of proteins, creating
the structure of those proteins.
Some of those functions have to do with running,
what I like to call the molecular motors of
your internal body.
Remember, if you've ever done of these DNA
tests, like 23andMe and some of these other
brands, when they're checking those genes,
think of each gene as a unique motor and that
each unique motor has a different function.
But each unique motor or gene also has a key
to start the motor.
Those keys in biochemistry, we call those
coenzymes, meaning that they are necessary
for the enzyme to function.
The gene produces the enzyme.
So, without zinc, zinc is a car key, so to
speak, or a motor key for several of these
different very, very important enzymes and
proteins that your body produces to bring
about different functions.
So, we know of more than 200 different functions
for zinc.
Some of them are critical.
We'll put a little 200 right here.
One of the big ones is an immune regulation.
This is why you'll hear, with a cold or a
flu, you'll see a lot of the immune formulas,
the supplemental formulas that are being sold
on the market, a lot of them contain zinc
in them.
The reason being, zinc is very, very important
for your immune cells to mature.
It's very important for them to produce certain
chemicals that help you fight off viruses
and bacteria and fungus and parasites.
So, zinc, very, very critical for immune function
and immune regulation.
Another function of zinc that's very, very
crucial is healing and repair.
Your body needs zinc.
Remember, your body's constantly healing and
repairing.
It's constantly breaking down old tissue so
that you can replace it with new tissue.
That process of healing and repair is very
critical.
If you've ever had skin cells slough off,
and you have, right, those are cells that
are dead, that are dying, that are sloughing
off.
Basically your body is getting rid of those
old cells so that you can repair and bring
in new cells.
Well, that happens in your skin, it happens
in your intestines, it happens in your brain.
It happens in your liver, your spleen, your
kidney and all of your organs.
So, remember healing and repair are very,
very crucial.
Zinc is important for creating a lot of those
proteins that create the structure or the
backbone of your collagen, your soft tissue,
your muscle tissue, et cetera.
So, in the healing and repair process, zinc
is one of the most important nutrients we
have.
It's necessary for the structure of a number
of different proteins.
There's an old saying in biochemistry and
that is, "Structure dictates function."
Square tires obviously don't roll.
Zinc plays a role in folding the different
proteins in your body molecularly, the very
small microscopic proteins.
It helps your body fold them into the right
shape so that they work and they do their
job properly.
Now, another function of zinc is in DNA.
It is necessary to replicate and produce new
DNA.
So, we talk about healing and repair.
You need new DNA to do that as well.
But you need new DNA to make new cells overall,
so new cell regeneration, new cell formation
requires the replication of DNA, and you need
zinc to make DNA.
It's necessary for DNA synthesis.
The other is the growth and development of
tissue.
We're running low on the board here.
Growth and development.
This is evermore critical in babies and in,
really, developing babies.
When their bodies are developing in the womb,
zinc deficiency can cause a lot of problems.
If a pregnant mother is not getting adequate
zinc, the baby could be born with a lower
IQ.
The baby can be born at low birth weight.
There can be a lot of defects that occur as
a result of zinc deficiency.
So, growth and development of a number of
different tissues.
Your skin, your muscles, your joints.
All important.
Zinc plays a role as well in sperm health
for men.
And sperm health is your sperm motility, your
sperm speed, your sperm function, your sperm
viability.
It depends on zinc.
Zinc's very, very important preserving and
protecting the sperm, but also in creating
the tail of the sperm, that tail that whips
them up so that they can swim adequately,
otherwise they don't make it to their target.
So, sperm health, very, very critical function
of zinc.
And then zinc also serves as an antioxidant
system.
Antioxidants.
There's actually a system in your body called
SOD.
It stands for superoxide dismutase.
It's a very, very potent enzyme protein that
helps to regulate detoxification.
It helps to regulate how well your antioxidant
systems are working and zinc is, again, is
what starts that motor.
Those are the main functions of zinc.
We'll get into a little bit more here tonight.
Hey, don't forget to check out the rest of
the series right here.
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always, thanks for tuning in.
