Reviewed by nutritionist Ani Nguyen, Massachusetts, Rd
Photographer: Abbey Littlejohn. EATHELL design.
Key points
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A new study suggests that eating the right amount of zinc can help reduce the risk of stroke.
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The presence of more than the recommended amount does not further reduce the risk of stroke.
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Zinc is found in foods such as seafood, meat, poultry, dairy products, nuts and seeds.
Each year, nearly 800,000 Americans have a stroke – this is one of the leading causes of death and disability in the United States, the good news is that some strokes can be prevented through lifestyle habits. For example, getting a lot of physical activity, managing your stressors, not smoking, restricting salt and alcohol, and eating many fiber and seafood every week are associated with a lower risk of stroke.
We also know that some diet models, such as the Mediterranean diet, are associated with a lower risk factors for stroke, including blood pressure and cholesterol. Researchers sometimes take advantage of a specific nutrient, unlike the nutrition model, to look more closely at associations between it and certain conditions.
In this case, researchers from China examined the relationship between dietary zinc and the risk of stroke. They have recently published their discoveries in Scientific reportsS Let’s break them.
How was this study conducted?
Researchers have retrieved data from a long -standing US survey called a National Health and Nutrition Study (NHANES). After translating the potential participants, they ended with 2,642 for this assessment. About 54% of them are women and participants had an average of 63 years.
For Nhanes, participants filled in several 24-hour dietary downloads, documenting what they ate the previous day. For this study, the researchers took these reminders and sought food containing zinc, as well as zinc -containing supplements. The average of two 24-hour nutritional withdrawals is used for the total zinc intake of each participant.
The researchers then divided the participants into four apartments (or groups) based on zinc intake: less than 6.08 mg/day (Q1), 6.08-8.83 mg/day (Q2), 8.84-13.02 mg/day (Q3) and more than 13.02 mg/day (Q4).
The stroke assessment was also self -reported on the basis of whether a healthcare professional had ever diagnosed the participant with a stroke.
During statistical analyzes, researchers corrected for factors, including age, gender, race or ethnicity, ITM, smoking history, medium calorie intake, health history and some other factors.
What did this study show?
After conducting several statistical analyzes, the researchers say that those who consumed about 6 to 9 mg per day zinc had a lower risk of stroke than those who consumed less than 6 mg per day. Moreover, those in Q2 had a 36% more chance of having a stroke than those in Q1.
Interestingly, higher zinc intake – more than 9 mg per day (Q3 and Q4) – does not provide more protection against stroke risk than consumption of 6 to 9 mg per day (Q2). This suggests that moderation is key when it comes to consuming zinc.
This study has several restrictions, including the fact that everything has been self -reported, including dietary intake, stroke diagnostics and medical history. This always leaves room for bias and inaccuracies in remembering. The size of the sample of the study of the used participants is also small, which tends to reduce the statistical power and the accuracy of the results.
Finally, this study cannot establish a cause and consequence. In other words, it cannot be said that the lower intake of zinc increases the risk of stroke; It can only be concluded that there seems to be a connection between zinc intake and the risk of stroke.
Connected: Food # 1 you need to limit to reduce the risk of stroke, according to nutritionists
How is this applied to real life?
The recommended zinc intake is at least 8 mg/day for women and 11 mg/day for men. So it is interesting that the benefits of zinc were even seen for those who were below the minimum recommended amount. The upper zinc limit is 40 mg/day for men, and for women – eats or takes more than that and can be harmful and cause some nasty side effects, including headaches, upset stomach and vomiting.
The less risk of stroke is not the only thing that zinc can help. Earlier, we reported that people who have recommended zinc intake levels have more slow biological aging than those with too little or too much zinc. And its positive effects are multiplied when people also get enough physical activity. However, it is important to note that those who take more than the recommended upper limit of 40 mg/day show an increase of 7 years organic aging. Again, it is no longer more better and this can lead to overdose, even with vitamins and minerals.
Zinc is important because it participates in many processes in the body, including immunity, growth and development and wound healing. It is also necessary for the proper development of cells and for the production of DNA.
Zinc is found in many foods, including meat, poultry, seafood, dairy products, nuts and seeds. Nutritional models such as the Mediterranean diet, Dash Diet (a diet, especially for healthy blood pressure) and the diet of the mind, which is the fusion of the dashes and the Mediterranean diet, all provide many foods rich in zinc and restrict sodium, added sugars and reders.
High blood pressure is a major risk factor for stroke. If you are trying to manage your blood pressure, give this 7-day high-high protein content plan for high blood pressure. Physical activity, stress and sleep also play a major role in blood pressure management and stroke prevention, so consider which areas need some attention. Choose one or two areas and start with small, sustainable changes so that you can gradually build your success over time.
Related: 7 habits of reducing the risk of stroke, according to doctors and nutritionists
Bottom line
This study suggests that the minimum daily recommended amount of zinc is associated with a reduced risk of stroke than those with lower levels; The benefits of platty, and those with higher levels than the minimum recommended quantity do not show additional benefits in terms of stroke risk. Include zinc -rich foods every day, such as meat, poultry, seafood, dairy products, nuts and seeds. If you think that zinc intake may be too low or too high, meet a registered nutritionist or health service provider that can help you understand this. A nutritionist can also help you determine if the supplement would be useful if you have problems eating enough zinc -rich foods.
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