Checking for zinc deficiency in children, causing anorexia

Zinc deficiency in children is a problem that attracts a lot of attention from health care professionals as well as parents with young children who are of a developing age. When a child's body is deficient in zinc, it can lead to a variety of problems such as anorexia, stunting, weakened immune system and interfere with many other functions in the body.

Zinc is an important and necessary element for the production of hundreds of enzymes in the body. On the other hand, it also helps control diverse human functions, including vision, nails, skin, hair, connective tissue, digestive function, hearing, sex drive, and immune response.
Although zinc accounts for only a small amount of the body's dry weight, it is nevertheless considered a micronutrient with extremely important biological roles for human health, especially in children. According to the researchers, this micronutrient participates in the composition of more than 300 different enzymes and serves as an essential catalyst of RNA-polymerase in the process of DNA replication. This important function of zinc is a key factor in stimulating growth and development in young children.
Besides, zinc is also involved in maintaining the functions of a variety of organs in the body. If zinc blood tests show that the child is deficient in certain neurological structures, it can lead to certain neurological conditions.
One of the other important functions of zinc is to help regulate the endocrine system and participate in the composition of hormones of the pituitary, gonads and adrenal glands. Normally, the endocrine system will coordinate with the central nervous system and control activities inside and outside the body.
Zinc is also considered an essential micronutrient, which can help increase appetite in children. Health care professionals say that zinc deficiency test results in children can reflect a child's zinc deficiency from mild to severe. When children are deficient in zinc, it can cause anorexia, anorexia, rickets, growth retardation and malnutrition. Therefore, adequate zinc supplementation for children can significantly improve the growth of height for children with short stature, and at the same time help to gain weight rapidly for children with low birth weight malnutrition.

In the process of absorption and metabolism, our body can absorb about 5mg of zinc in a day. This absorption rate will depend on a variety of factors, including the zinc content of certain foods, the source of the food, and the presence of substances that promote or inhibit zinc absorption.
Usually, a blood zinc test can tell if a child is zinc deficient. In addition, you can also observe some signs of zinc deficiency in children such as:
Hair loss Children anorexia or loss of appetite Prolonged diarrhea Growth retardation Eye damage Slow wound healing rate Yes Symptoms of anemia such as dizziness, pale skin or headaches A child's taste and smell are affected – this is also the reason why zinc deficiency causes anorexia in children. In the long term, zinc deficiency can cause malnutrition and growth retardation in children. The deficiency of this micronutrient will have negative effects on the physical development, height, immune system as well as the nervous system of young children. In addition, children will also be stunted, susceptible to infections due to reduced immune function and have a high risk of death when their bodies do not meet the daily zinc requirements.

Overall, blood zinc testing is considered the most effective method to help assess the risk of zinc deficiency in children. Although the zinc deficiency test may have some limitations in determining mild, moderate, or severe zinc deficiency, it is nevertheless very useful when assessing severe zinc deficiency. .
Experts say that serum zinc levels tend to fluctuate by up to 20% within 24 hours. This is mainly due to the effect of getting nutrients through food. After a meal, zinc levels will initially increase immediately and show signs of decreasing over the next 4 hours, then continue to increase until the body consumes food again. In the evening, blood zinc levels tend to increase slightly. Therefore, zinc levels in the body reach their highest point during the day, usually in the morning.
Zinc blood tests show decreased zinc levels due to acute inflammation or infection, this usually happens because zinc is transported from the plasma to the liver in response to the body's anti-inflammatory process. During the acute inflammatory phase response, cytokines will be released and activate the synthesis of metallothionein (MT) - a heavy metal-binding protein, which plays a role in regulating the liver's absorption of zinc.
In addition, the zinc deficiency test can also show that your body is under stress or suffering from a heart attack. Since zinc is transported by the body in plasma, it is mainly bound to albumin, so some diseases such as protein-energy malnutrition or cirrhosis of the liver can produce hypoglycemia, which reduces zinc levels in the blood. serous.
Below are the normal values ​​of a zinc blood test :
Children: 63.8 – 110 mcg/dL Women: 70 – 114 mcg/dL Men: 72.6 – 127 mcg/dL

In general, zinc requirements for young children will depend on a certain age. According to the recommendations of health care experts, children under 3 months of age will need about 3 mg of zinc / day, children aged 5 - 12 months need 4 mg of zinc / day and children from 1 to 10 years old need 5. - 8 mg of zinc / day for optimal growth in both height and body.
Because the human body does not naturally produce the necessary amount of zinc, zinc supplementation for children will be completely through food or supplements. To prevent zinc deficiency causing anorexia in children, parents should give their children a variety of zinc-rich foods such as animal meat, beans, fish, seafood, dairy products, nuts and seeds. whole grains. According to nutritionists, foods that provide the highest levels of zinc include lean beef, raw oysters, baked beans, peas, rice, pork loin, lobster, peanuts or yogurt.

In addition to giving your baby a variety of zinc-rich foods, parents can also give their children supplements in the form of tablets or capsules. Even so, nutrients in supplement form will not be able to provide the same health benefits as nutrients consumed from food. Therefore, it is best for your child to focus on zinc needs from daily foods, then give them supplements as a backup plan when needed.
To help improve zinc deficiency causing anorexia and support children to eat naturally, you can give your baby a supplement containing ingredients such as Lysine, zinc, vitamin B, Betaglucan, ginger extract and acerola fruit extract, helps perfect taste buds, strengthens the intestinal immune system, stimulates taste, digestion and food metabolism in the child's body.