University of Florida News

Zinc immunity video

BEFORE YOU PUT DOWN THAT HAMBURGER… REMEMBER THAT RED MEAT’S A GOOD SOURCE OF ZINC. UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA RESEARCHERS HAVE DISCOVERED A KEY TO ZINC’S WELL-KNOWN IMMUNE-BOOSTING POWER. IT RAMPS UP WHITE BLOOD CELLS KNOWN AS T-CELLS… WHICH TRIGGER A KEY IMMUNE PROTEIN CALLED GAMMA INTERFERON.

Robert Cousins/UF nutrition researcher: “We found that the
production and release of this gamma interferon is increased when
the blood cells are from people that have been given extra zinc.”

IMMUNE SYSTEMS COULD GET A TEST THIS FALL FROM WHAT COULD-BE A SEVERE FLU SEASON. T-CELLS REMAIN ONE OF THE BODY’S TOP LINES OF DEFENSE… AS THEY HELP IDENTIFY AND DESTROY BACTERIA. RESULTS SUGGEST THAT MORE ZINC MEANS MORE ACTIVE T-CELLS.

Robert Cousins/UF nutrition researcher: “By analogy, the idea
would be that if you were at least at adequate zinc status from
your daily diet, your t-cells would be functioning at their
maximum capacity.”

EXPERTS SAY MAINTAINING A GOOD DIET, INCLUDING A GOOD SOURCE OF ZINC, HELPS YOUR BODY WARD OFF THE INFECTION. AT THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA I’M ERICA RAKOW.

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