Can zinc stop feet from stinking? Learn about zinc supplements
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How To Stop Feet From Stinking & The Impact of Zinc

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I know it’s a somewhat personal question, but do your feet stink? In a “Dear Annie” advice column, Annie had a nurse write in and report that a zinc deficiency can cause body odor, including stinky feet. I decided to look up the science on zinc to find any literature connecting zinc deficiency with odor and if zinc can stop feet from stinking.

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Our body requires zinc for the functioning of more than 300 enzymes. The U.S. recommendations for daily intake are 8 mg for women and 11 mg for men. While food sources of zinc include oysters, shellfish, poultry and meat, as well as fortified cereals and nutrition bars, the average diet may not contain enough zinc. Zinc supplements come in several forms – zinc chelate, citrate, picolinate and sulfate. The sulfate form is less expensive than the other forms. (Cooper Complete products use the chelate form of zinc.)

The scientific literature on zinc is extensive, and there is good evidence to support zinc supplementation to:

• Reduce the severity and duration of diarrhea in malnourished children

• Help the healing process of gastric ulcers

• Help manage or reduce symptoms of sickle cell anemia
In the studies, participants showed an increase in health, weight, immune system function, and testosterone levels while reducing the number of sickled cells.

• Prevent zinc deficiency
Zinc deficiency symptoms include hair loss, impotence, skin and eye conditions, and reduced appetite.

There’s conflicting research on the impact of zinc in treating the severity and duration of the common cold. In a small double-blind trial of 100 people experiencing early cold symptoms, the half who received 13.3 mg of zinc from zinc gluconate recovered from their cold much more quickly than the placebo group. Coughing disappeared within 2.2 days (versus 4 in the placebo group), the sore throat lasted 1 day (versus 3), nasal drainage lasted 4 days (versus 7), and headache time fell from three days to two days. Unfortunately, other studies show little difference between zinc and a placebo.

So can zinc stop feet from stinking? In a search of the scientific literature, I came up empty when seeking a connection between smelly feet and zinc. In anecdotal information, the writer to “Dear Annie” reports that taking zinc supplements eliminated foot odor. The Graedons at the People’s Pharmacy have heard 50 to 100 mg zinc daily made a dramatic reduction in foot odor within 30 days. Another home remedy by People’s Pharmacy to stop feet from stinking is to soak the feet in warm water with tannic acid. Because tea is high in tannic acid, adding tea bags to a foot bath is an easy way to try this remedy.

Because long-term high levels of zinc can be toxic, it’s important to talk with your doctor about any supplements you take.

The Cooper Complete multivitamin and mineral supplements, including Basic One, contain 15 mg of zinc per daily serving.

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Article by Jill Turner, President of Cooper Concepts.

Reference

Strange Solutions for Smelly Feet

Printed from: https://coopercomplete.com/blog/stop-feet-from-stinking/