As far as trace minerals in the skin go, you don’t get one much more abundant than zinc: the skin contains about 6% of all the zinc in the body, according to Joy Bauer, MS, RD, CDN and author of Food Cures. In the skin, zinc is responsible for protecting cell membranes and maintaining skin’s collagen levels. Dr. Howard Murad further sings zinc’s praises in The Murad Method: “Zinc is truly a workhorse ingredient…It protects the skin from UV light and other irritants and infection from bacteria and fungi…enhances the effects of vitamins A and E, and soothes irritation.” In fact, patients with severe zinc deficiencies can develop redness and pustules, as well as small blisters, crusting, and flaking lesions on the scalp, genitalia, and around the mouth, according to Dr. Audrey Kunin, dermatologist and founder of DERMADoctor.com. Kunin also notes that zinc deficiency may lead to hair loss.
According to Bauer, zinc is naturally found in all of the following sources:
- oysters
- lean beef
- crab
- ostrich
- pork tenderloin
- peanut butter
- wheat germ
- turkey
- veal
- pumpkin seeds
- chicken
- chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
- fat-free yogurt
- fortified whole grain cereals
- pine nuts
- cashews
- sunflower seeds
- lima beans
- lentils
- pecans
- cheese (fat-free, reduced-fat)
- fat-free milk
- almonds
- walnuts
- peanuts
- black-eyed peas (not these ones, hee hee)
- green peas
However, Bauer strongly advises not to take above 100% USDA daily values of zinc (15 mg per day). According to Bauer, “Excess zinc can inhibit the body’s ability to absorb copper, a minor but necessary mineral…[High levels of zinc] can depress the immune system and block copper’s availability in the body.” In fact, Bauer advises patients who ingest 80 mg of zinc/day (usually to treat macular degeneration) to also take 2 mg copper/day.
When applied topically, zinc has been shown to have significant antioxidant activity in this 2002 study in the International Journal of Dermatology, amongst others. According to the study, there are two mechanisms by which zinc may provide antioxidant protection: in the first, “zinc ions may replace redox active molecules, such as iron and copper, at critical sites in cell membranes and proteins; alternatively, zinc ions may induce the synthesis of metallothionein, sulfhydryl-rich proteins that protect against free radicals.” At any rate, zinc appears to be an effective ingredient in skin care products.
All in all, zinc is a pretty exciting ingredient, whether ingested or applied topically! Zinc is available orally in most multivitamins and the Murad Pure Skin Supplement ($39.50, Amazon.com), as well as the Murad Acne Spot Treatment ($12.00, Amazon.com). As always, talk to your doctor when starting a new program. 🙂