Zinc can rebalance these hormone levels through its antiandrogenic activity which will raise estrogen and progesterone back to baseline.
Zinc supports the stress response. Inadequate or excess cortisol (the stress hormone) affects the production of estrogen and progesterone in women. Either too high or too low levels of estrogens can cause issues with menstruation, mood swings, early menopause, infertility and more. Zinc reduces inflammation.
Zinc increases the synthesis of the growth hormone and its number of receptors; thus, it is an important mediator in the binding of this hormone to its receptor. Found in a large quantity in the pancreas tissue, zinc has a part in the regulation of the effect of insulin.
Specifically, zinc can either raise or decrease hormone levels depending on what your body needs. For example, women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) may require zinc to reduce their testosterone levels, while women with low estrogen may need zinc to help raise their levels.
How does Zinc Affect Hormone Levels in Men? Lower Production: Zinc is required in the chemical pathway to make testosterone in the body from androstenedione. Zinc deficiency causes lower levels. More Conversion of Testosterone to Estrogen: Low zinc levels causes more testosterone to be converted to estrogen.
Zinc can rebalance these hormone levels through its antiandrogenic activity which will raise estrogen and progesterone back to baseline.
Adverse effects of high zinc intake include nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, and headaches. Intakes of 150–450 mg of zinc per day have been associated with such chronic effects as low copper status, altered iron function and reduced immune function.
There are several reasons that Zn is important to men's health. Assisting immune function, patronage of healthy cell growth, having a role in preserving prostate health, sexual health and testosterone hormone levels are typical examples.
The study concluded that zinc supplementation increased serum testosterone levels and confirmed it plays an important role in controlling testosterone levels in normal men.
There is evidence to suggest that certain supplements can help to correct hormone imbalance and reduce high estrogen counts. These include iodine, magnesium, and vitamin D. It may also help to take broccoli extract, or diindolylmethane (DIM).
Zinc is an essential nutrient that everybody needs – but getting enough zinc is especially important for men, as a deficiency has been linked to lower testosterone levels. Because the human body doesn't naturally produce zinc, we have to ingest it from certain vegetables, seafood, meat, or supplements.
Zinc is also an essential nutrient for hair growth, and a severe zinc deficiency could lead to hair loss.
Zinc for estrogen dominance
Zinc also plays an important role when it comes to hormone metabolism. On the one hand, the body needs zinc to produce hormones and on the other hand, it needs zinc to keep the hormones in balance.
The benefits of zinc for women include supporting ovulation and normal hormone function. It is also required for cell division and DNA reproduction, meaning that, as well as supporting fertility, zinc could have benefits for health throughout pregnancy.
Some of the vitamins linked to better estrogen balance include vitamin D, the B complex, and vitamin C. Minerals such as calcium and boron may help protect against the effects of low estrogen, while some herbal supplements, including dong quai and black cohosh, are also known for their hormone-balancing effects.
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 acutely and temporarily inhibits adrenal cortisol secretion in humans.
In general, a common and safe recommendation for zinc in the treatment of male hypogonadism is 220 mg of zinc sulfate (equivalent to 50 mg of elemental zinc) twice a day, over one to four months. Additionally, it may be further required to extend, both the treatment, dose and daily fractionation of this mineral.
Can zinc be harmful? Yes, too much zinc can be harmful. Signs of too much zinc include nausea, dizziness, headaches, upset stomach, vomiting, and loss of appetite. If you take too much zinc for a long time, you could have problems such as lower immunity, low levels of HDL ("good") cholesterol, and low copper levels.
The recommended daily amount of zinc is 8 milligrams (mg) for women and 11 mg for adult men.
Zinc deficiency can happen in people who have problems absorbing nutrients, for example, older people and those who have some gut diseases. Some medicines can also increase the loss of zinc through urine.
Adults should avoid taking more than 40 mg of zinc each day. If you accidentally take more than this, it's more likely to cause stomach symptoms than any serious health problems. Check with your healthcare provider if you are considering taking zinc supplements.
The average daily zinc intake from foods is 7.6–9.7 mg/day in children aged 2–11 years, 10.1 mg/day in children and teens aged 12–19 years, 13 mg/day in men older than 19, and 9.2 mg/day in women [24].