Liquid Ionic Zinc concentrate for fast efficient absorption, enhances the immune system.

The following article is printed by permission of the writers.

Many words are used within the healthcare community and many of those words are, or have become, generic. Words such as zinc, when used in most people's vocabulary, means nothing more than zinc. Zinc may mean a little more to a chemistry student who may categorize it as a transition metal having an atomic number of 30. History students may know that zinc was discovered in 1746 by Andreas Marggraf. But there is much more to zinc than this.

This led me-Dr. Gunderson-to do extensive research in ionics to prove there is more to the story of zinc as just mere words or categories that are all encompassing. Ionics involves ionization of minerals. It is the process of rendering an electrically neutral atom to an atom having a positive or negative electrical charge wherein the atom gains or loses one or more electrons or protons. When applied to plant-sourced minerals for use as a dietary supplement, the bio-availability of the minerals increases dramatically.

Zinc, the forgotten nutrient, is now a popular subject of clinical investigations.

Zinc is an essential mineral that is found in almost every cell of the body. It is responsible for many biochemical reactions in the body, stimulating the activity of over one hundred enzymes. Because zinc cannot be manufactured in the body it must be provided in our food or water diet or in zinc supplements.

According to a Tufts University study, zinc is the number one nutritional deficiency in children in the U.S.A. Zinc enhances immune system competence and plays a vital role in fighting off colds and flue and facilitates cellular division and growth thus maximizing physical growth and development in children.

Zinc interacts with chemicals to send messages to the sensory brain center and activates areas of the brain that receive and process information from taste and smell sensors. Therefore, zinc facilitates proper functioning of the ability to smell, taste and see. A zinc deficiency leads to dulling of the taste buds and ability to detect scents.

Some significant facts that should be noted with zinc.

Other forms of zinc, such as zinc gluconate, can cause stomach upset and can have poor after taste. It has been proven in our random study that zinc gluconate, which is the zinc of choice for inclusion in cold lozenges, causes mouth irritation and stomach upset. Of course when one has a cold, getting rid of the cold and not having to complain about the taste or bad mouth problem is preferential.

To understand assimilation of minerals in the body one must first understand how the body processes minerals obtained in food.

When food is consumed the body extracts the minerals, such as zinc, calcium and magnesium and then carries the minerals through the membranes of the intestinal tract. Digestive fluid in the stomach dissolves the (neutral electrical charged) minerals changing them into either positive or negative electrically charged ions. They enter the blood stream for transport to all parts of the body where they are needed. Finally, they are attracted to and pass through the cell membrane to be utilized within the interior cellular mechanisms.

During the digestive process, picolinic acid is secreted by the pancreas and enters the intestines. Picoinic acid helps to absorb and transport certain types of minerals and acts as a natural chelator in the body. It prevents positively charged mineral ions from being held tightly against the negatively charged membrane of the intestinal wall, allowing the mineral ion to pass through and into the interior cellular mechanisms.

This is all well and good providing that one has a healthy and efficiently working digestive system that allows for this natural bodily process. But the world is full of people suffering mineral deficiencies. One reason for mineral deficiency is a malfunctioning, ineffective digestive system due to low acid levels and disease and degeneration caused by sedentary living standards. If one's digestive system is malfunctioning and not able to process minerals correctly then sufficient levels of ionized minerals will not be forthcoming leading to the inevitable mineral deficiency syndrome.

The solution to a poorly functioning digestive system is to supplement the diet with minerals that are already in the ionized state, that is, minerals already having an electrical charge, either positive or negative. Supplementing the diet with mineral ions does not require the digestive system to create them.

Inadequate intake and increased losses of zinc from the body also result in zinc deficiency.

Zinc in its proper form has many health benefits. There are over 300 enzymes, including trypsin and alcohol dehydrogenase, that do not function without zinc as a cofactor.

As we age, the thymus gland diminishes in size and function. This has been observed in both human and animal studies and is considered a normal process. However, the state of zinc nutrition is also believed to play a part in thymus longevity. A zinc supplement given to aging mice restored the function of their thymus glands and led to the glands' regrowth. Researchers concluded that the usual involution (diminishing or shrinking) of the thymus gland is not inevitable and can be reversed with zinc supplements and reversed most effectively with instantly absorbed ionic zinc supplements.

Zinc, without question, is important to the body. Taking zinc in the proper "ionized" form, as demonstrated by Castleman, will safely take care of the body's needs without the side effects. Problems arise when high dosages of certain forms of "non-ionized" zinc supplements are taken that cause complications in the body. This can persuade a person to stop taking zinc altogether.

When I was involved in the AIDS research arena I had the opportunity to work with Dr. Jonas Salk. Scientists at the Salk Institute investigating zinc have discovered a link between low levels of zinc and cognitive impairment.

The study confirms what neuro-scientists have known for a long time, that zinc plays a critical role in human activity. It is now widely known that undernourished children suffering zinc deficiency have greater thinking ability and cognition after administration of zinc supplementation.

• Summarizing the benefits of zinc.
  • An essential mineral that is found in almost every cell.
  • Improvement in symptoms of coughs and colds.
  • Stimulates the activity of enzymes, which are substances that promote biochemical reactions in the body.
  • Supports a healthy immune system.
  • Helps maintain your sense of taste and smell.
  • Supports normal growth and development during pregnancy, childhood, and adolescence.