If You’re Overweight, Zinc Can Help Cognition
The association is not often discussed, but people who are overweight or obese have lower levels of zinc, and lower levels of zinc are associated with cognitive decline. Could supplementing zinc help cognition in overweight people?
Obesity is becoming more and more prevalent. Importantly, though little discussed, it is a risk factor for cognitive decline. A huge study of 6,401 adults found that cognitive decline was more pronounced in those who were overweight (Neurology. 2012;79:755–762).
Since overweight people are low in zinc, and zinc plays an essential role in brain function, could taking zinc help improve cognition if you are overweight? That’s what researchers set out to see in this study of overweight women.
This 12 week double-blind study gave either a placebo or 30mg of zinc bisglycinate a day to 32 overweight women between the ages of 40 and 60.
And the zinc worked. Supplementing zinc significantly improved scores on the mini-mental state examination, which is commonly used to assess cognition, including thinking, communicating, understanding and memory. Zinc also significantly improved scores on the Stroop test, which measures selective attention, processing speed and also helps to measure overall executive function.
This intriguing study suggests that taking zinc can help improve cognitive performance in overweight women.
Nutrients. 2023 Oct;15(20):4396.
For the latest research to keep you and your family healthy, get The Natural Path delivered to your inbox each month for only $29.99 a year: Subscribe!
For much more on natural help for cognition, see our book The Family Naturopathic Encyclopedia.
For comprehensive natural help with your health, including cognition, make an appointment to see Linda Woolven now. Linda’s clinic is now open for virtual appointments.
The Natural Path is intended for educational purposes only and is in no way intended for self-diagnosis or self-treatment. For health problems, consult a qualified health practitioner for a comprehensive program.
Ask your health food store for The Natural Path Newsletter