Zinc poisoning is a dangerous condition that can occur at any age including adults, children and infants. The main causes of zinc poisoning are overuse and improper supplementation. Zinc poisoning can be treated with antidote. So when to use zinc antidote?
1. What is zinc poisoning?
Zinc is one of the body's important minerals. Zinc is abundant in skeletal muscles, teeth, hair, skin, white blood cells and liver. You may not know, but zinc is an important substance of the testicles, related to the production of semen and sperm. In addition, zinc is also a basic component of essential enzymes in the body, participating in the metabolism of cell substances.
Depending on the stage of development of the body, consider whether to supplement zinc or not. One thing to note is that you should not arbitrarily supplement zinc without a doctor's prescription because it can cause zinc poisoning. Zinc poisoning occurs when the amount of zinc taken into the body is too much compared to the required amount, causing the body to not absorb and metabolize it all, gradually accumulating and affecting health.
Zinc poisoning causes acute or chronic clinical symptoms.
Symptoms of zinc poisoning:
- Patients experience vomiting, nausea accompanied by diarrhea, loss of appetite, loss or reduction of taste.
- Decreased T cell function due to immune system dysfunction.
- Decreased levels of good cholesterol (HDL). HDL is a type of cholesterol that prevents the formation of atherosclerotic plaques, reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Reducing HDL levels and increasing LDL levels will simultaneously increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
- Abdominal cramps, headaches, fever, chills and cough.
- In children, too much zinc in the body will cause anorexia, vomiting accompanied by digestive disorders, poor resistance, and reduced absorption of iron.
2. When should zinc antidotes be used?
Zinc poisoning has a significant impact on health, and if prolonged, can cause serious complications or even death for the patient.
When there are clinical signs of suspected zinc poisoning, zinc supplementation should be stopped immediately. Depending on the level of poisoning, consider whether zinc antidotes are needed or not.
If zinc poisoning is mild, you can drink fresh milk to detoxify zinc. The amount of calcium and phosphorus contained in fresh milk will bind to excess zinc molecules in the body to form chelates to excrete them, while also preventing the digestive system from continuing to absorb zinc.
If the patient has severe zinc poisoning, they should be taken immediately to the nearest medical facility for timely treatment support. At this time, it is necessary to combine zinc antidotes with symptomatic treatment drugs to quickly stabilize the patient's health.
Although zinc is an important mineral, necessary for the body to develop healthily, supplementing zinc tablets or other forms too much or too little is harmful to the patient's health. If you are in need of zinc supplementation, or are showing unusual signs of suspected zinc poisoning, contact a specialist for examination and advice on how to supplement zinc properly.
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