不光男性,是人體必需的微量元素—-鋅
人體的必須元素分為兩種,常量元素與微量元素。生物體需求相對較少,但對生物機體維持正常生理學功能有重要作用的營養物質,主要包含維生素和微量礦物質兩大類,其中組成微量礦物質、且含量在生物體中低於0.01%的元素又稱為「微量元素」。【52】【53】
鋅在人體中為含量第二多僅次於鐵的重要微量元素,人體無法自行生產,所以必須由食物或補充保健食品攝取,是人體超過300種酶的活性都必須協同作用的物質,尤其身體的成長發育都依賴鋅,其中還輔助DNA的合成與蛋白質的生成,甚至是維持皮膚的基本健康也都必須仰賴鋅。【54】
鋅對於男性的性功能保健的功效也極為重要,因此男性的許多相關保健食品皆會加入含鋅的複方。缺乏鋅也會引起運動失調、精神萎靡、生長遲緩、免疫下降、性晚熟等問題症狀。【55】【56】【57】
衛福部食藥屬也公告國人每日鋅攝取建議量 :
兒童 0 ~ 6歲 5mg / 日
7 ~ 9歲 8mg / 日
1 ~ 13歲 10mg / 日
成人 14~51歲 男性15mg 、 女性12mg / 日 【58】
鋅對人體的4大用途,從性的應用到生理機能維持
1.幫助提升生殖機能與孩童生長發育
無論男女身體裡都有一種影響性慾且提升免疫力等健康的重要激素,睪固酮(testosterone)又稱睪丸素,由男性睪丸與女性卵巢分泌獲得,對健康影響廣泛,包括性慾、力量、免疫功能及對抗骨質疏鬆等症狀,鋅則是影響血液中睪固酮濃度的重要影養素。研究證實,在飲食中額外補充鋅,可以調節血液中睪固酮濃度,利用缺乏鋅的老人作為實驗對象,補充鋅六個月後睪固酮濃度顯著的提升,從8.3 +/- 6.3增加到16.0 +/- 4.4 nmol / L(p = 0.02)。此外也對正常的年輕男性做鋅限制攝取的實驗,連續12周後也得到睪固酮濃度顯著下降的實驗結果,證實了鋅調節睪固酮濃度的作用。【59】【60】【61】【62】
因為鋅的調節作用,也提升了人體對性的慾望,並且,男性的精液中鋅也是組成的主要成分之一,隨著年齡的增長,男性精子的健康程度以及生產量會因為DNA的受損逐漸減少,也可能因為其他外在因素等不良習慣影響精子,如酗酒、抽菸、壓力、熬夜等,皆會造成不孕的困擾。【63】
也因如此另有研究利用不孕男性的精液進行分析,發現其中鋅含量的水平相較正常男性是比較低的,利用額外攝取補充鋅,取得數據結果,驗證鋅的補充能有效提升男性精液中的精子數量、精子活動力及品質,對於生殖機能與受孕的關係是正向的影響。【64】
鋅對於細胞中DNA合、RNA轉錄、細胞的分裂與活化有關,也因此對於精液的製造與孩童的生長發育有著直接的影響。缺乏鋅等營養素的孩童在生長發育上會呈現性晚熟、生長遲緩、免疫力下降等症狀。補充足夠的鋅也成為了孩童生長發育中的重要課題。【55】
2.有助醣類蛋白質核酸代謝與調節
鋅是人體重要的催化劑,具有結構和調節離子、參與體內平衡、免疫反應、細胞信號傳遞、氧化壓力、凋亡和衰老等生理過程。多項研究也根據這樣的特性得到以下對人體影響的結果。擁有對抗發炎的效果、有益痤瘡(青春痘)治療、血壓血糖的調節。【65】【66】【67】【68】
人體中的氧化壓力(氧化逆境)是造成許多慢性疾病的因素,導致慢性發炎,如心臟病、精神衰退等,鋅可以有效降低體內發炎蛋白的濃度,減緩氧化壓力,達到抗發炎效果。【65】
同樣也有研究指出,痤瘡患者的鋅含量往往較低。補充鋅可能有助於減輕症狀,局部塗抹和口服鋅治療均可透過減少發炎︑抑制痤瘡丙酸桿菌 (P. acnes) 細菌的生長和抑制皮脂腺活動來有效治療痤瘡。【66】
一篇研究指出,補充鋅能顯著降低收縮壓,但對舒張壓無明顯影響。補充劑量和時間與血壓的變化未發現非線性關聯,原因為鋅有助於一氧化氮合酶活性,提升過氧化物清除活動,製造血管緊張素轉換酶和中性內肽酶有關。對於血壓調整有些許正向影響。【68】
血糖的控制出問題,會導致糖尿病的產生,是一種慢性代謝疾病,也因為現在環境變遷與行為生活模式的演進,糖尿病患者數量逐年升高。研究利用補充鋅的受試者在空腹血糖、餐後2小時血糖、空腹胰島素、胰島素抵抗穩態模型評估、糖化血紅蛋白和高敏感性c反應蛋白濃度方面有統計學意義的降低。映證補充鋅可對於糖尿病預防與輔助治療有著正面幫助。【67】
3. 提升免疫力
前面所提的鋅特性,其中對於細胞間的信號傳送極為重要,尤其對於免疫細胞,鋅的存在是必需的,助於維持免疫系統的強健,並減少氧化壓力。相關研究指出,感冒初期(特別是在出現感冒症狀的24小時內)服用高劑量的鋅(80~90mg),能使普通感冒的時程縮短約33%,並且可以有效降低感染風險,提升免疫系統的功能性,對於老人免疫系統的幫助成效很好。【69】【70】
也對於免疫系統的發展健全有著正相關,當缺乏鋅容易造成免疫系統的運作異常,因此補充鋅對於免疫系統健康是有正向幫助的。【71】
4. 顯著降低與年齡相關的老化疾病與風險
人體的自然衰老也會影響各項健康的病變產生,其中黃斑部病變與肺炎感染的機率增加都是與此有正相關的。鋅可以透過增強些免疫細胞、自然殺手細胞及T細胞,來協助下降氧化壓力和改善免疫系統,擁有不錯的抗氧化效果。可以改善老年人對於流感疫苗的接踵反應或是降低肺炎感染的機率,各項研究都顯示出其鋅對老人的成效,甚至是將鋅作為複方加入葉黃素,以達有效的趨緩改善甚至預防黃斑部病變等視力問題。某種程度上來說,鋅是人體細胞抗衰老不可或缺的微量元素。【72】【73】【74】【75】【76】
打破迷思,性功能障礙的根本在於正確的身體保健
如題打破迷思,鋅對人體的助益不光只針對男性,同樣的,上述的三項營養素(精胺酸、瑪卡、鋅)功效也不僅僅只能應用針對性功能障礙,因為性功能障礙的部分成因,根本來自於身體正常機能的無法維持,心理層面的病因只能協尋專業醫師輔導。也因此,現代性觀念與性自主的意識抬頭,性的問題與社會及生活都息息相關,擁有健康的性保健以及身體保健的觀念,選擇正確的保健補充品保養,搭配適度的運動與正常生作息的調節,完成身、心、靈的健康,才是讓你享受真正的性福開始喔!!
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