Diarrhea is a common condition that can cause discomfort and anxiety. Although diarrhea is usually mild and resolves on its own within a few days, it should not be overlooked.

Proper diarrhea management can help prevent more serious conditions like dehydration, infection spread, and symptom severity. By following the proper diarrhea management steps, you can also help your body recover faster. Zinc supplementation is one method for treating diarrhea that is not limited to meeting fluid requirements. What are the actual benefits?

Benefits of consuming zinc during diarrhea

Diarrhea causes a significant loss of fluids and electrolytes, including zinc. Zinc is required to help the body strengthen its immune response, speed up diarrhea recovery, and prevent zinc deficiency during diarrhea.

WHO recommends zinc supplementation to reduce the duration and severity of diarrhea. Zinc supplementation in children can also prevent future diarrhea episodes.

According to some studies, the benefits of taking zinc during diarrhea are as follows:

• It increases the activity of immune cells, which can help fight infections that cause diarrhea
• It affects the intestines' ability to absorb water and nutrients, reducing the susceptibility and severity of diarrhea
• Influences the contraction and relaxation of intestinal muscles required for the regular passage of stools
• Accelerates the healing of diarrhea by repairing intestinal tissue damaged by infection or inflammation

Read more: What Should You Do If Your Child Has Diarrhea?

Zinc-rich food sources and supplements

Zinc can be found naturally in foods such as meat, fish, poultry, and seafood like mussels, oysters, and crabs. Furthermore, dairy products like yoghurt and cheese are high in zinc.

Nuts, seeds, and legumes all contain zinc, albeit in lower amounts than animal-derived foods.

Some people may need more zinc than can be obtained from food, such as during diarrhea. In this case, zinc supplements may be an option.

Read more: Tips To Preventing Diarrhea If You Enjoy Culinary Travel

A typical zinc dose for treating diarrhea is around 20 mg per day. However, lower doses have been shown to be effective in reducing diarrhea symptoms and the risk of vomiting associated with zinc supplementation.

Some studies have shown that taking 5–10 mg of zinc per day can help reduce the duration and severity of diarrhea in children. These doses are generally better tolerated and cause less vomiting than higher doses.

According to general guidelines, zinc is safe to take orally in doses of up to 40 mg per day. Consult with a doctor to determine the appropriate zinc dosage for you. Higher doses may result in decreased copper absorption by the body, as well as an overdose. Zinc overdose can result in serious side effects such as abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, other digestive problems, fatigue, and immune system dysfunction.

If you need medical advice or consultation, you can either visit a doctor or make use of the consultation features that are available in the Ai Care application by downloading the Ai Care application from the App Store or Play Store.

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