NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Zinc supplementation may exacerbate rheumatoid arthritis (RA), new laboratory data suggest.
If you swallow too much zinc, the first symptoms you may experience are gastrointestinal side-effects such as nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Diarrhea and muscle cramps are also possible. As time passes, you may experience sleepiness, dizziness, or fatigue (Bartzatt, 2017; Agnew, 2021).
Too much iron can be toxic, causing symptoms like fatigue, joint pain, and depression. High-dose calcium supplements have been linked to an increased risk for heart disease as reported in a the National Institutes of Health-AARP diet and health study published in the JAMA Internal Medicine in 2013.
Are you supplementing with zinc? Be careful! Excess zinc intake can lead to a copper deficiency which can cause neurological problems, including numbness and weakness in the arms and legs. Zinc is a trace mineral, meaning that we only need small amounts of it to support our health.
It is possibly safe when taken in larger doses, especially when used only for a short period of time. But taking doses higher than 40 mg daily might decrease how much copper the body absorbs. Taking very high doses of zinc is likely unsafe and might cause stomach pain, vomiting, and many other problems.
Zinc in human plays an important role in cell mediated immunity and is also an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. Zinc supplementation studies in the elderly have shown decreased incidence of infections, decreased oxidative stress, and decreased generation of inflammatory cytokines.
Sudden pain in all the joints can be a symptom of several conditions, including infections, gout, ME/CFS, and some autoimmune conditions. It can also be an indication of complications after an illness, such as post-viral syndrome or reactive arthritis.
Causes of joint pain
It might be caused by an injury or a longer-lasting problem such as arthritis. Your symptoms might give you an idea what could be causing the pain. But do not self-diagnose, see a GP if you're worried.
Other vitamins — including A, D, E, and K — are fat-soluble. They aren't good to consume in high doses because your body holds onto the excess. Minerals can be problematic in large doses, too. Too much iron can be toxic, causing symptoms like fatigue, joint pain, and depression.
In fact, taking too much zinc can potentially cause stomach side effects, such as diarrhea, stomach pain, nausea, and vomiting. And having high levels of zinc over a long period of time might also lead to low copper or iron levels.
Minor or moderate amounts of supplemental zinc can be beneficial to wound healing, immune health and heart health, but according to research published in the September 1984 issue of “The Journal of the American Medical Association,” excessive doses appear to hinder all three.
Zinc helps to regulate the menstrual cycle by nourishing healthy ovarian follicles and therefore promoting ovulation. Premenstrual mood symptoms. According to a 2022 randomized clinical trial, zinc supplementation can improve PMS.
Ingestion of high doses of zinc may cause acute gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.
Zinc is considered to be relatively nontoxic, particularly if taken orally. However, manifestations of overt toxicity symptoms (nausea, vomiting, epigastric pain, lethargy, and fatigue) will occur with extremely high zinc intakes.
Solutions: Use a heating pad or take a warm bath or shower to loosen the joint and relax stiff muscles. Apply ice packs for swelling. To prevent the muscles from shortening, try exercises that require straightening your elbow, such as pushing away light objects or “pushing” pretend objects up to the ceiling.
Several nutritional supplements have shown promise for relieving pain, stiffness and other arthritis symptoms. Glucosamine and chondroitin, omega-3 fatty acids, SAM-e and curcumin are just some of the natural products researchers have studied for osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
Research Note: Studies show significantly lower zinc levels in people with rheumatoid arthritis compared to those without it. The lowest levels are associated with more severe disease. Researchers say zinc may help improve RA symptoms by supporting the immune system and cartilage.
Zinc binding to the NR2A subunit regulates major aspects of pain processing and is significant to pain transmission, chronic pain development and zinc-induced analgesia. In addition, zinc has a role in brain functions such as motor control and in neurological disorders.
Zinc also has protective effects against autoimmune conditions in which the body starts attacking healthy cells.
Zinc is often part of multivitamins but is also taken alone or in combination with vitamin C. Its absorption is most effective on an empty stomach, but it can cause stomach upsets. In this case it should be taken with a meal and therefore not late at night.
When you take a zinc supplement orally, it will dissolve in a single spot when it reaches your stomach. As it dissolves, the heavy concentration of zinc could irritate the stomach lining in that area, leading to pain or discomfort in addition to nausea or the risk of vomiting.
Your body doesn't need a large amount of zinc. The recommended daily allowance for adults is 8 - 11 mg. It's common to have slightly low levels of zinc, but taking a multivitamin, plus eating a healthy diet, should give you all the zinc you need.
Zinc supports hair growth, strengthens hair follicles and increases thickness. Just as zinc deficiency can cause hair loss, so can excess levels of zinc. Taking zinc supplements in moderation with proper medical advice is key.
Helps Progesterone Production
The ovaries love zinc—sufficient amount of this mineral helps them produce estrogen and progesterone.