Now Foods

L-OptiZinc 30mg 100 caps.

• Highly absorbed form of zinc L-OptiZinc
• The addition of copper amino acid chelate
• Effectively corrects zinc deficiency
• Maintains the balance between zinc and copper levels
• Critical to function of hundreds of enzymes
• Ensures proper growth and development of the body
• Supports the function of numerous systems and organs
• Supports energy balance
• Boosts immunity
• Strengthened oxidative barrier
• Improves the efficiency of detoxification processes
• Maintains the acid-base balance
• Promotes mental well-being
• Improves the condition of skin, hair and nails
• Helps maintain high fertility
• Free from animal additives
• Suitable for vegans

NOW L-OptiZinc is a product supplementing you diet with highly bioavailable, chelate amino acid forms of zinc and copper. It provides minerals critical to function of several hundred enzymes affecting hormonal and energy balance, normal function of the immune, nervous and reproductive system, as well as involved in strengthening the oxidative barrier and improving efficiency of detoxification processes. As a result, it is vital to functioning of the whole body. High efficacy of the product ensures zinc monomethionine with the legally protected trademark L-OptiZinc. Active substances in a cellulose capsule with non-animal ingredients allow vegans for taking this product

Zinc – shortened as Zn, a chemical element from the group 12, playing a vital role for the human body. A series of studies on this mineral continues to this day and was started by the student of Louis Pasteur, Jules Raulin. Since these times, it has been proven an enormous role of zinc for growth, development and functioning of the whole human body. Zinc has primarily the ability to form and activate more than 300 enzymes which results from, among other things, its tetrahedral structure that facilitates exchange of ligands, the lack of reduction potential in the biological environment and hydrolysis to hydroxycomplexes at a very low pH.

An important notion related to zinc is that it is involved in the formation of so-called “zinc fingers”, namely motifs in amino acid sequences in a protein stabilised by zinc. It gives a protein domain a given shape and is critical to its functions.

The daily zinc requirements for an average healthy adult has been estimated at 10-15 mg. The best food sources rich in a highly absorbed form of zinc are seafood, fish, liver, meat, especially red one, eggs and milk. We should mention such plant products as: wholemeal products, pumpkin seeds, almonds, sesame seeds or red tea. Zinc is not accumulated in the body. It is utilised regularly in biochemical processes after which this microelement is removed from the body Due to small content of zinc in plant products and inability to accumulate zinc in the body, vegans are a group of consumers who are especially exposed to deficits of this mineral in their diet.

Properties of zinc
It contributes to formation, development and maintenance of many structures.
Zinc is a component of enzymes, including RNA and DNA polymerase, activates many of them and takes part in the formation of zinc fingers for binding nucleic acids with a protein. Consequently, it affects synthesis, transformation and maintenance of genetic material and numerous compounds and molecules, also protein ones and hence all cells and structures.

A role in the synthesis of crucial compounds and maintenance of mineral balance
Zinc contributes to producing retinoic acid (vitamin A) and vitamin D and consequently controls systemic levels of these vitamins. By competing with many metals, including copper, chromium or manganese, it regulates levels and proportions of these minerals in the body.

Strengthened oxidative barrier
Zinc activates superoxide dismutase, an enzyme degrading superoxide radical into molecular oxygen and hydrogen peroxide. It also blocks NMDA receptors and thus normalises the activity of NADPH oxidase and nitric oxide synthase. What is more, it competes with copper and iron ions, consequently reducing lipid peroxidation. This element protects protein sulfhydryl groups from oxidation, regulates response to oxidative stress by NTF2 and stimulates the production of metallothioneins scavenging free radicals. All of these contributes to strengthening antioxidant processes taking place in response to overoxidation of body structures.

The support for detoxification processes
As an element competing with cadmium and lead for transporters in the body, it reduces the penetration of heavy metals into the body.

Better maintenance of the acid-base balance
As a cofactor of carbonic anhydrase catalysing conversion of carbon dioxide into hydrogen carbonate and hydrogen ions, it promotes carbon dioxide excretion by lungs and its neutralisation in renal tubules. Owing to that, it helps maintain the acid-base balance by reducing overacidification caused by excess of carbon dioxide.

Anticancer prevention
Zinc has many antioxidant properties protecting existing and formed structures and affects their synthesis and repair. Because of that, it contributes to preventing abnormalities in the development and functioning of cells.

The impact on energy balance
Zinc is involved in maintaining energy balance by ensuring normal activity of thyroid hormones and regulating insulin and glucagon concentration.

Healthy functioning of the immune system
Zinc has an impact on the adhesion of neutrophils to vessel epithelial cells which strengthens the immune response. It inhibits cytotoxic activity of NK cells, has an anti-inflammatory effect by forming complexes with phytates and phosphates, promotes the release of interleukin 1 and 6 and TNF-α, activates monocytes, induces differentiation of immature T lymphocytes and has an impact on apoptosis and proliferation of immune cells. As a result, it helps maintain a healthy immune system.

A healthy cardiovascular system
Zinc is considered an anti-erythrogenic factor. When individuals follow diets poor in zinc, their body is more prone to formation of atherosclerotic lesions. What is more, normal zinc levels help maintain more beneficial levels of cholesterol and low density lipoproteins (LDL) in the blood.

Supported digestive function
By ensuring catalytic activity of carboxypeptidase, zinc helps digest small peptides. It strengthens also the epithelial barrier, whose impermeability reduces the leakage of fluids into the intestinal lumen, and regulates the secretion of hydrochloric acid in the stomach. As a result, it helps maintain a healthy condition and functionality of the digestive system.

The impact on neurological function
Zinc has an impact on function of the nervous system where it improves signalling, especially due to its glutamate complex. It regulates action of, among other things, GABA and NMDA receptors and activates AMPA receptors. It supports healthy functioning of the nervous system by improving signalling, affecting synaptic plasticity and taking part in processes of memory and learning.

Better mental well-being
Zinc promotes mental well-being by boosting levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), thereby increasing serotonin uptake in selected parts of the brain and showing anti-glutamatergic potential which prevents obsessive-compulsive disorder.

The sensation of taste and healthy appetite
As a cofactor of gustin, a protein located in taste buds, zinc is necessary for the sensation of taste. By ensuring the sensation of taste, it prevents the loss of appetite caused by less pleasure from eating. It also regulates leptin, the “satiety hormone”, and thus makes you full after a meal.

The impact on vision
Zinc is critical to vision by taking part in the process of forming retinoic acid.

The key to attractive appearance
Zinc has anti-chafing, astringent, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. It also reduces the activity of 5α-reductase. Consequently, it promotes wound healing and helps maintain a healthy skin, nails and hair.

Supported hormonal balance in men
Zinc facilitates normal conversion of cholesterol and lipid precursors to sex hormones, promotes testosterone production and boosts the concentration of androgen receptors. Because of that, it enhances testosterone activity. By reducing the activity of 5α-reductase, it inhibits the conversion of testosterone into its more potent form. It mitigates the effects of female sex hormones because it suppresses overexpression of oestrogen receptors.

The maintenance of a healthy prostate
Adequate dietary intake of zinc helps maintain an optimum size of the prostate.

The maintenance of high male fertility
Zinc is involved in the process of testosterone synthesis, improves the effectiveness of spermatogenesis, speeds up sperm maturation, protects and stabilises their structure from oxidative damage and increases motility. Consequently, it helps maintain normal male reproductive capacity.

Reduced menstrual pains
A zinc-rich diet relieves menstrual pain.

Effects of zinc deficiency
Increased requirements for zinc concern pregnant women and during lactation, individuals at the stage of intensive growth and development and athletes or other people doing hard physical activity. Consuming too much processed food from soil with a low zinc content or just poorly balanced diet may lead to deficiencies of this element. Diets poor in animal products are especially unfavourable due to bioavailability of this mineral. The dominance of plant products rich in phytic acid, which binds zinc, decreases absorption of this mineral. Effects of zinc deficiency are: inhibited growth and development, increased susceptibility to infections, impaired taste and vision, copper and calcium imbalance, mental discomfort or deteriorated condition of the skin, hair and nails. Like other many metals, both excess and deficiency of zinc has an adverse effect on the body. Its safe, daily dose amounts up to 100 mg. Symptoms of zinc poisoning include: nausea, vomit, headaches, fever, weakness, hypersalivation, immunodeficiency, impaired memory and cognitive abilities, insomnia, copper and iron imbalance leading to anaemia and a drop in high-density lipoprotein (HDL).

The bioavailability of zinc
It is estimated that 8-29% of zinc is absorbed from food. It is rare that individuals with zinc deficiency decide to change considerably their diet which could improve availability of this element. To make up effectively zinc deficiencies, it is extremely important to supplement zinc in highly absorbed forms. The most effective chemical forms are amino acid chelates, including zinc monomethionine, which is a combination of L-methionine with this mineral.

Suitable for vegans
It is very beneficial to vegans, a group especially susceptible to zinc deficiencies, that the product is designed to allow them taking it according to their outlook. It is thus important to eliminate animal ingredients and replace them with other ones, e.g. a cellulose coating or magnesium stearate of plant origin.

The significance of copper
Zinc and copper are metabolic antagonists which compete continuously with each other in the body for fulfilling their functions. Their imbalance may cause many adverse effects. For instance, too high zinc intake lowers copper absorption and thus has a negative impact on turnover of iron in the body. As a result, it contributes to impairing heme synthesis which leads to anaemia. What is more, copper has many significant properties. It is therefore extremely important to provide it during sustained zinc supplementation.

Copper – a microelement, cofactor of many enzymes, metabolic antagonist of zinc, a mineral vital to functioning of the whole body.

By enhancing the activity of antioxidant enzymes, it limits the formation of reactive oxygen species, including superoxide anion radical which improves the efficiency of antioxidant barrier.

It also promotes energy production by limiting mitochondrial oxidation and supporting the transfer of electrons from ferrocytochrome c to oxygen in the complex IV of electron transport chain.

Zinc ensures healthy functioning of the nervous system by promoting the formation of neurotransmitters, taking part in axon myelination and protecting neurons from excessive oxidative stress.

It supports also melanin production and thus improves the colour of skin or hair.

It is critical to processes of collagen and elastin synthesis and that is why it helps maintain healthy joints and skin.

It contributes to balancing the activity of many endocrine factors, including calcitonin, gastrin and vasopressin.

In addition, it is involved in thermoregulation of the body.

NOW L-OptiZinc is a carefully selected formula correcting zinc deficiencies which also helps maintain proper copper levels. By providing minerals in the form of highly absorbed amino acid chelates, it ensures high efficacy. By correcting deficiencies of elements, it provides cofactor and building blocks for function of hundreds of enzymes vital to functioning of the body. Consequently, it ensures normal function of many systems and organs, helps optimise energy balance, supports the maintenance of the acid-base balance, promotes optimum efficiency of antioxidant barrier and detoxification processes in the body. The product’s quality is guaranteed by the content of L-OptiZinc Monomethionine The content of cellulose in coating and magnesium stearate of plant origin makes it suitable for vegans and does not interfere with their lifestyle.