Zinc - Red Blood Cell (RBC) Content

Zinc is a vital mineral present in the human body and is urgently needed to appear in the kidneys, muscles, prostate, liver, bones. Zinc is found in all tissues and body fluids.

RBC Zinc Test - Everything You Need To Know

Zinc is a vital mineral present in the human body and is urgently needed to appear in the kidneys, muscles, prostate, liver, bones. Zinc is found in all tissues and body fluids.

Zinc plays an important role in the structure of proteins and cell membranes. Zinc has a complex role in our bodies:

• Contributes to the insulin regulation and production
• Strengthening the bacterial immune system
• Antioxidant effect
• Maintaining the health of hair, nails, bones, skin
• Improving prostate disease and impotence
• Menstrual cycle regulation
• Accelerate wound healing and burns
• Normalization of brain function
• Maintaining normal vision
• Improving muscle motor skills

What is an RBC Zinc Test

The RBC test measures zinc in the red blood cells.  This test is useful to determine long-term zinc storage. In this way, the measurements can be more accurate and not limited to free fractions present in the blood.

Going more into depth than the conventional ways does not always require more sophisticated and elaborate tools. The RBC zinc test is a handy tool for anyone that wants to prevent disorders associated with zinc deficiency.

Disorders that are associated with zinc deficiency require such an analysis because of their higher accuracy.

If you suffer from a disorder like dermatitis, visual acuity, poor wound healing, low testosterone production, sexual impotence, or growth retardation, you should perform this test.

The concentration of zinc in the red blood cells was studied as well to determine hyperthyroidism. It is usually used in clinics as a reliable marker concerning  thyroid hormones.

The RBC zinc test is also recommended for people that are exposed to industrial zinc or dietary disorders.

Symptoms of Zinc Deficiency

When you have a deficiency of zinc, your body cannot produce new, healthy cells. This leads to symptoms such as:

• Inexplicable weight loss;
• Wounds that do not heal;
• The person is no longer vigilant, alert;
• A reduced sense of smell and taste;
• Diarrhea;
• Loss of appetite;
• Open lesions or wounds on the skin.

Causes for Low Levels of Zinc 

Recent studies have shown that the first signs of severe zinc deficiency include slowing or even stopping growth and development, delayed sexual maturation, characteristic skin marks, severe and chronic diarrhea, weakened immunity, harder wounds to heal, decreased appetite, decreased taste, night blindness, inflammation and darkening of the cornea and behavioral changes.

However, some issues need to be considered, namely that zinc deficiency in the diet is unlikely to cause a severe zinc deficiency in individuals.

 It becomes a problem in the case of genetic diseases or severe injuries such as second or third-degree burns on an area of more than 60% of the body.

Causes for High Levels of Zinc

Acute Toxicity

Isolated outbreaks of acute zinc poisoning have been caused by consuming foods and beverages contaminated with zinc released from galvanized containers. Signs of acute zinc poisoning include abdominal pain, diarrhea, dizziness, and vomiting

"Zinc Fever"

It has been reported after inhalation of zinc oxide fumes. Heavy sweating, weakness, and difficulty breathing may occur within the first 8 hours after inhalation of zinc oxide and may persist for 12-24 hours after exposure has ended.

Chronic Toxicity

The most important consequence of excessive long-term zinc consumption is copper deficiency. Ingestion of 60 mg/day doses of zinc has been found to cause signs of copper deficiency.

To prevent copper deficiency, the U.S. National Food and Nutrition Council recently imposed a maximum tolerable level of zinc for adults at 40 mg/day, including both synthetic and dietary zinc.

Complications of Zinc Deficiency

Most of the information currently available on severe zinc deficiency is the result of a study of individuals born with enteropathy acrodermatitis, a genetic disease that manifests itself through poor metabolism and transport of zinc.

Symptoms of severe zinc deficiency include slowing or even stopping growth and development, delayed sexual maturation, characteristic skin marks, severe and chronic diarrhea, weakened immune defenses, slower wound healing, decreased appetite, decreased ability to taste, night blindness, corneal darkening, and behavioral changes.

Chronic Disorders Associated with Zinc Deficiency

• Alcoholism
• Cancer
• Celiac disease - gluten intolerance
• Chronic kidney disease
• Diabetes and pancreas diseases
• Chronic liver disease
• Chronic diarrhea
• Ulcerative colitis
• Crohn's disease

Foods Rich in Zinc to Add to the Daily Diet

Fortunately, in nature, there are a lot of edible elements that contain zinc. The highest amount of zinc per 100 grams is generally found in certain species of seafood. However, some other ailments can provide good quality sources of zinc, such as:

Vegetables

Green leafy vegetables such as spinach, broccoli are a considerable source of zinc.

Walnuts and Seeds

They are a great and tasty source of zinc. Add about 35 g of pumpkin seeds to salads, and you will have almost 2 mg of zinc in that preparation. And a tablespoon of chia seeds can bring you 0.5 mg of zinc.

Black Chocolate

Nutritionists have determined that chocolate types with more than 80% cocoa contain about 1 mg of zinc. But we must be careful with the proportions and dosage, especially for people with diabetes.

Normal RBC Zinc Levels

On average normal values of RBC zinc range between 7.2-13 µg/g. For males and females with ages between 17-99 µg/g,  the value can go up to 14 µg/g.

An average adult has 1.5 and 2 g of zinc in the organism. It is distributed in all tissues of the human body, especially in the skin, prostate, bones, teeth, blood, and small amounts in the brain and lungs.

The daily requirement of zinc is about 9.5 mg in men and 7 mg in women, the values being higher in pregnant and lactating women.

Order Your Zinc RBC Test Today

Zinc is a trace element involved in the essential processes of the human body. If you are experiencing zinc deficiency, it is helpful to include foods high in zinc in your diet and to use zinc-based dietary supplements as recommended by specialists.