If you suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), there is a good chance that you may in fact be deficient in the mineral zinc.  In fact, there is ongoing research showing that supplementing with zinc can drastically improve digestive conditions such as IBS (1).  Unfortunately, those suffering from digestive disorders such as IBS are unaware that their condition may be related to a zinc deficiency.

However, in our experience, although zinc deficiency may play a role in conditions such as IBS, there is always more to the story when the body is under digestive distress.  For example, why has the body suddenly become zinc deficient? Or why are you still zinc deficient despite eating zinc rich foods? Or how can I be sure that my IBS is being caused by zinc deficiency?

These are all questions that we plan to answer and hope to give you a better understanding of zincs role  the body when it comes to IBS.  Also, we will give you some signs to look out for if you think you may be zinc deficient.

IBS, Fungal Overgrowth’s, and Zinc Deficiency

It’s been shown that those suffering from IBS are often times extremely low in the mineral zinc.  This makes sense because zinc plays an extremely important role in the health of the digestive system.  In fact, a deficiency in zinc can affect almost all components of the body’s immune system (2).

That being said, zinc helps regulate the gut microbiome and helps to inhibit the formation of pathogenic species that may try to overgrow in the gut.  This is extremely important to understand for those with IBS because research has already shown a direct link between IBS and fungal overgrowth’s such as candida (3).

Many of these pathogenic species such as candida will burrow itself into the digestive lining of the stomach and create significant amounts of inflammation. This in itself can cause symptoms such as IBS in individuals.  Interestingly, just like patients who suffer from IBS, patients who suffer from fungal overgrowth’s such as candida have also been shown to be zinc deficient.

Scientists have found that in the presence of zinc deprivation, candida can morph into a giant yeast cell phenotype which scientist have begun to call “Goliath Cell” (4).  To put it simply, zinc deficiency can lead to dramatic growth in pathogenic fungi such as candida in the gut which plays an extremely significant role in IBS and other digestive conditions.

Why are you Zinc Deficient?

This question gets asked a lot among those suffering digestive conditions such as IBS.  However, going by the research above, it appears that a zinc deficient diet allows candida to overgrow and cause intestinal health issues.  That being said, it’s unlikely that a candida overgrowth caused a deficiency in zinc, rather, a zinc deficiency caused an overgrowth of candida.

That all being said, there are several reasons why an individual could be deficient in zinc.  In our experience, the reason individuals are typically deficient in zinc is because of poor diet.  Now, the term “poor diet” can be confusing because many so called “healthy foods” can hinder the absorption of zinc.

For example, all plant foods contain anti-nutrients which can dramatically hinder the absorption of zinc in the gut.  In fact, phytates, which are found in most grain products (even whole grains) have been shown to interfere with the absorption of zinc in the gut (5).

Although these anti-nutrients are fairly harmless in small amounts, diets that are extremely high in plant foods such as vegan and vegetarian diets can definitely cause zinc absorption issues if followed long term.  Interestingly, if you look at the diet of the average American, most are following a diet that is extremely high in plant foods.

It should be mentioned that very few Americans are eating high quality animal organs and animal products.  We say this because animal foods are the richest source of bio-available zinc in the world.  Also, animal foods do not contain anti-nutrients which can hinder the absorption of zinc in the gut.

How to Tell if Your Zinc Deficient

If you think you may be deficient in zinc, there are signs to look out for other than IBS.  Below is small list of symptoms that are often associated with zinc deficiency in the body.

• Digestive Disorders
• Brain Fog
• Suppressed Immune System
• Skin Issues (eczema, dandruff, dry skin)
• Loss of taste
• Poor Vision
• Poor Appetite
• White Spots on Nails

If you suffer from any of these symptoms, there is a good chance that you are deficient in zinc.  Furthermore, if you suffer from IBS and also suffer from many of the symptoms listed above, it’s a safe bet that you’re most likely extremely deficient in zinc.

What to Do if Your Zinc Deficient

If you suffer from IBS and zinc deficiency, the first thing you must do is correct your diet.  This means removing all plant foods that can contribute to intestinal inflammation and cause poor zinc absorption in the body.  For a full list of these problematic foods, please go to our website Homepage.

Once you remove these problematic foods you must then follow a correct diet.  This means following a diet which is rich in high quality animal foods and extremely low in anti-nutrient containing foods such as plants.  Luckily, we’ve created a complete outline of the best foods to eat if you suffer from IBS.  Eating these foods will also naturally inhibit the growth of candida in the gut.  For more information on proper diet and the best foods to eat for IBS, go to our Diet Protocol Page.

Furthermore, cutting out all sugar from the diet can be extremely helpful since sugar is the primary fuel source of many pathogenic bacteria, yeast, and fungus such as candida.  Consuming large amounts of sugar can make a IBS and zinc deficiency much worse.  It should be mentioned that the body will actually lose minerals when detoxifying itself from the toxic effects of sugar.

Cook Zinc Rich Meals

Another thing you can do if you’re suffering from both IBS and zinc deficiency is to make sure you’re cooking zinc rich meals.  This means that each of your meals should contain significant amounts of animal protein.  Both red meat and animal organs are the richest sources of bio-available zinc in the world.  Consuming these foods regularly will ensure that you’re getting the proper amount of zinc daily.

Also, for those interested, try out our Intestinal Health Cookbook which contains over 20 different zinc rich and gut friendly recipes.  Our cookbook can be great for those eating an IBS diet and wanting to keep meals interesting and tasteful!

That being said, it’s extremely important that you do not shy away from animal foods.  Despite what health experts may say, animal foods are a necessity for optimal health and contain many nutrients that cannot be found in plant foods.  Again, animal foods are the richest source of bio-available zinc in the world and can play an extremely important role in boosting zinc levels in the body.

If You’re struggling to find high quality animal foods in your area, US Wellness Meats can be a great resource.  They will ship high quality animal foods right to your door!  Just be sure to order over $100 so that you get free shipping.

For those interested in trying US Wellness Meats, use the link below:

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Avoid Synthetic Zinc Supplements

Those with IBS may be tempted to try zinc supplements in order for fast relief.  Although these supplements may offer relief in the beginning, they tend to cause mineral imbalances when used long term.  For example, it’s well known that both copper and zinc are antagonist of one another.  In other words, they help each other stay in balance.

When you take synthetic mineral isolates such as zinc, you can disrupt this delicate mineral balance.  When this occurs, negative health problems often result. 

On the other hand, eating the correct diet such as the one outlined on our Diet Protocol Page can naturally increase zinc levels in the body without creating an imbalance.  In fact, animal organs such as liver is an extremely rich source of both zinc and copper and can be great for those with IBS. 

It’s important to understand that no food in nature ever just contains one mineral.  It always contains a wide array of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids which helps in the absorption and balance of minerals in the body.

If you must take a supplement, we highly recommend you begin to treat bone broths as your daily supplement.  Bone broths are extremely unique in their ability to seal the digestive lining, reduce inflammation, and soothe the digestive system.  Bone broths can be great for those dealing with IBS and should be consumed at least twice a day and preferably with meals.