Lecithin And Zinc

Your body needs a variety of nutrients to function at peak performance, mentally and physically. If your diet doesn't provide adequate nutrition, you may rely on supplements to provide adequate nutrition. Zinc and lecithin play different roles in your body, and while much is known about zinc, less is known about lecithin. The FDA does not oversee the production of nutritional supplements, but it regulates labeling. Purchase supplements from a reputable manufacturer and talk to your doctor before using supplements.

Lecithin

Food manufacturers use lecithin, a choline compound, as an emulsifier, and although it is not essential to the diet, it may play a role in staying healthy. Once you eat a product that contains lecithin, the mucus in your intestine metabolizes the substance into choline. Your liver, your kidneys or your brain store some choline, but excess amounts pass out in the urine. Lecithin occurs naturally in eggs, meat and soy products. There is no recommended intake amount of lecithin and no determination level for deficiency.

Potential Benefits from Lecithin

Pamela Mason, author of "Dietary Supplements," reports that lecithin may enhance memory, making it potentially beneficial for treating dementia disorders, but clinical testing is necessary. Mason says that lecithin, in theory, lowers serum cholesterol, but again, more testing is in order to verify the effect. While she says that there are no known adverse effects from lecithin, talk to your doctor before adding this supplement to your diet.

Zinc

Unlike lecithin, zinc is essential to the human diet. Typically, foods that are high in protein also contain zinc. Meats are high in zinc, and this trace mineral is also found in some non-meat products, including nuts, yeast and whole grains. Zinc contains more than 200 enzymes and plays a part in metabolizing proteins. Adult males need 11 mg of zinc daily and adult females need 8 mg. You can get the recommended amount of zinc you need by eating a balanced diet that includes a variety of foods.

Potential Benefits from Zinc

According to Medline Plus, a division of the National Institutes of Health, your body needs zinc to maintain strong immunity and to help wounds heal quickly. Supplementing your diet with zinc may be beneficial in some cases. Taking zinc when you first notice symptoms of a cold may reduce the duration of the viral infection. In addition, after taking zinc at the recommended dosage, you may be less likely to catch a cold. Further studies are necessary to confirm these benefits, but ask your doctor about taking zinc as a cold preventative.

Considerations

While no side effects are noted with lecithin, that may be in part because the compound lacks adequate testing. Zinc supplements may be beneficial, but in large dosages, you may experience cramping, nausea and vomiting or diarrhea. Talk to your doctor before starting any diet-supplementing program.