What are the benefits of zinc supplementation for women?

Zinc is a trace element that we all know is needed by our bodies, and we can often see advertisements for zinc supplements on TV. But I believe there will still be some people who don’t know what effect zinc supplementation has on the human body, and some even wonder why they need to supplement zinc for no reason? Today I will share with you the benefits of zinc supplementation and how to supplement zinc.

Why should women take zinc supplements before pregnancy?

Zinc is an important component of various enzymes necessary for a series of biochemical reactions in the human body and has a significant impact on the body's metabolic activities. If the pregnant mother is zinc deficient, the fetus will have slow growth and development, short stature, and even deformities.

In addition, zinc deficiency can lead to loss of taste and appetite, which in turn reduces the intake of nutrients by pregnant mothers and significantly affects the growth and development of the fetus. Therefore, before preparing for pregnancy, it is extremely beneficial for the growth and development of the future fetus if women of childbearing age start to supplement with adequate zinc. Why should women take iodine supplements before pregnancy?

The best time for pregnant mothers to supplement iodine is from before pregnancy to the early pregnancy. Iodine is one of the important raw materials for synthesizing thyroid gland and is a hormone that affects human metabolism. Iodine deficiency during pregnancy will affect the metabolism of the mother and fetus, especially protein synthesis. At the same time, iodine deficiency during pregnancy will directly lead to mental retardation, deafness, and even movement and language disorders in the newborn. Therefore, experts recommend that you take appropriate iodine supplements before pregnancy, and the daily iodine intake is 150 mg.

Of course, you can also get it through food. Iodine-rich foods suitable for non-pregnant women are mainly seafood such as kelp and seaweed. But please note that since kelp contains high levels of arsenic, eating it in large quantities can lead to arsenic poisoning, so it is better to be careful when eating kelp. The solution is to soak the kelp in enough clean water for 24 hours before eating it.

Zinc supplementation is very important for our body. Of course, what we need to focus on here is the appropriate amount of zinc supplementation. We all know that everything has its limits. Excessive intake of a substance will increase the burden on our body. So for the sake of our health, what we need to do is to supplement zinc in moderation.