Zinc Causing Extreme Reactions. Help

DB_2014

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Back in 2017, I induced a copper deficiency from several months of high zinc supplementation. I discovered the copper deficiency this year and began copper supplementation. My copper levels are back in normal range. The copper supplement has helped tremendously with my anxiety, muscle twitching, histamine issues, and joint pain. However, my zinc recently came back somewhat low on blood tests. Every time I try to take any zinc, I’m experiencing terrible anxiety/panic and a bizarre feeling of losing my mind. I can’t even tolerate 12.5 mg of zinc. Any thoughts on what could be causing this?
 

redsun

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Back in 2017, I induced a copper deficiency from several months of high zinc supplementation. I discovered the copper deficiency this year and began copper supplementation. My copper levels are back in normal range. The copper supplement has helped tremendously with my anxiety, muscle twitching, histamine issues, and joint pain. However, my zinc recently came back somewhat low on blood tests. Every time I try to take any zinc, I’m experiencing terrible anxiety/panic and a bizarre feeling of losing my mind. I can’t even tolerate 12.5 mg of zinc. Any thoughts on what could be causing this?

Highly unlikely zinc itself is causing anxiety/panic, it is often taken to get rid of those by reducing conversion of dopamine to noradrenaline (which uses copper), blocking glutamate, etc. Keep in mind high amounts of zinc supplementation also messes with iron. So if you were taking lots of copper for I assume a year and not taking iron as well (which may have been affected by zinc) you could be having too much copper compared to iron.

You are better off trying to get zinc from beef, good quality cheese like gouda, and oysters. Supplements of zinc work alone while food sources have other nutrients to synergize. It does not make sense in my book to be taking high dose zinc, then taking copper to fix a supposed copper deficiency caused by zinc, then turn around and start taking zinc again. I am surprised you didnt get anxiety/paranoia from taking copper, yet zinc gives you those symptoms. Doesn't make sense.
 

Kingpinguin

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Back in 2017, I induced a copper deficiency from several months of high zinc supplementation. I discovered the copper deficiency this year and began copper supplementation. My copper levels are back in normal range. The copper supplement has helped tremendously with my anxiety, muscle twitching, histamine issues, and joint pain. However, my zinc recently came back somewhat low on blood tests. Every time I try to take any zinc, I’m experiencing terrible anxiety/panic and a bizarre feeling of losing my mind. I can’t even tolerate 12.5 mg of zinc. Any thoughts on what could be causing this?

you get same effect from eating meat? How is your vitamin A intake? I dont believe you need to raise your serum zinc. Blood test doesnt reveal the whole picture. Just look at your cronometer intake of zinc and eat adequate
 

Kingpinguin

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Highly unlikely zinc itself is causing anxiety/panic, it is often taken to get rid of those by reducing conversion of dopamine to noradrenaline (which uses copper), blocking glutamate, etc. Keep in mind high amounts of zinc supplementation also messes with iron. So if you were taking lots of copper for I assume a year and not taking iron as well (which may have been affected by zinc) you could be having too much copper compared to iron.

You are better off trying to get zinc from beef, good quality cheese like gouda, and oysters. Supplements of zinc work alone while food sources have other nutrients to synergize. It does not make sense in my book to be taking high dose zinc, then taking copper to fix a supposed copper deficiency caused by zinc, then turn around and start taking zinc again. I am surprised you didnt get anxiety/paranoia from taking copper, yet zinc gives you those symptoms. Doesn't make sense.

actually I have similair problems. I cant tolerate supplemental zinc in any form. Meat i can tolerate high amounts of zinc. Oysters tend to give me same reaction as zinc supplements if I eat too many. I also induced a copper deficiency long time ago. Back then I used high doses of zinc. I could tolerate it but eventually it made me copper deficiency. Fatigue, joint problems, muscle twitching etc just like OP.
 

redsun

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actually I have similair problems. I cant tolerate supplemental zinc in any form. Meat i can tolerate high amounts of zinc. Oysters tend to give me same reaction as zinc supplements if I eat too many. I also induced a copper deficiency long time ago. Back then I used high doses of zinc. I could tolerate it but eventually it made me copper deficiency. Fatigue, joint problems, muscle twitching etc just like OP.

But OP is also getting anxiety/paranoia from taking zinc. Did you get that from zinc as well? I also had a history of taking 50mg zinc gluconate tablets most of my teenage years (very infrequently before bed as they made me feel bad after a few days so I would stop then start again) and stopped zinc when I started trying Peating (which I no longer do really) it probably put my copper levels back up.

I had to take zinc to deal with the insane paranoia I got from Peating and then maintain zinc levels with food. Now when I take copper I get tinnitus, hypomania, temporary high energy followed by exhaustion, dry mouth(dry everywhere really), ruminations... Doesnt matter if its potatoes or supplements same issue.

Maybe I got to accustomed to relying on histamine for energy which immediately lowers from taking copper (I use very dry mouth as my indicator). What do you think?
 

Giraffe

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Back in 2017, I induced a copper deficiency from several months of high zinc supplementation. I discovered the copper deficiency this year and began copper supplementation. My copper levels are back in normal range. The copper supplement has helped tremendously with my anxiety, muscle twitching, histamine issues, and joint pain. However, my zinc recently came back somewhat low on blood tests. Every time I try to take any zinc, I’m experiencing terrible anxiety/panic and a bizarre feeling of losing my mind. I can’t even tolerate 12.5 mg of zinc. Any thoughts on what could be causing this?
Maybe you are low in magnesium because of zinc supplementation.

I linked a study regarding zinc, copper, magnesium here: Copper Deficiency In Humans
 

Kunstruct

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I don't feel well on Zinc supplements and I have not taken it years after years, not at all, and neither large quantities. Mussels and shrimp, not really anything better, almost worse than zinc supplementation, so I do not really want to eat this sort of food.

Various issues while on Zinc are nothing that new and have been reported, anger from zinc, irritation from zinc, joint pain from zinc, muscle pain from zinc, brain fog from zinc, all sort of things. Some I know even on this forum are reluctant to reply about it publicly and have to say it privately, probably due to the massive overall labeling of the Zinc as being extremely beneficial disregarding the fact for some people can lead to not so good reactions or even really bad reactions.
 

Motif

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Back in 2017, I induced a copper deficiency from several months of high zinc supplementation. I discovered the copper deficiency this year and began copper supplementation. My copper levels are back in normal range. The copper supplement has helped tremendously with my anxiety, muscle twitching, histamine issues, and joint pain. However, my zinc recently came back somewhat low on blood tests. Every time I try to take any zinc, I’m experiencing terrible anxiety/panic and a bizarre feeling of losing my mind. I can’t even tolerate 12.5 mg of zinc. Any thoughts on what could be causing this?

What kind of copper did you take to get your levels up ?

@redsun
I’ll get blood tests tomorrow for zinc copper and ceruloplasmin just to see where I’m at right now.
Should I get plasma copper or serum ?
 

redsun

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What kind of copper did you take to get your levels up ?

@redsun
I’ll get blood tests tomorrow for zinc copper and ceruloplasmin just to see where I’m at right now.
Should I get plasma copper or serum ?
Serum.
Zinc is overrated.
Very convincing. Some people have very good reactions to zinc and use it to improve digestion, hormones and energy levels. If your body has too much it will make you feel fatigued, depressed. But stopping it gets rid of the problem. If you don't feel good from zinc you clearly don't need it. Definitely not the case with everyone.
 

Razvan

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Serum.

Very convincing. Some people have very good reactions to zinc and use it to improve digestion, hormones and energy levels. If your body has too much it will make you feel fatigued, depressed. But stopping it gets rid of the problem. If you don't feel good from zinc you clearly don't need it. Definitely not the case with everyone.
Maybe, i think it's very hard to have a zinc deficiency and supplemental zinc messes up everything.
 

Motif

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Serum.

Very convincing. Some people have very good reactions to zinc and use it to improve digestion, hormones and energy levels. If your body has too much it will make you feel fatigued, depressed. But stopping it gets rid of the problem. If you don't feel good from zinc you clearly don't need it. Definitely not the case with everyone.


but zinc in plasma , right ?
 

Razvan

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I
Tell that to your thymus, especially when you get older.
I don't know about that. Zinc is easier to retain than copper.
Copper gets depleted so easily i wouldn't even touch zinc.
Copper makes you more intelligent,zinc in excess makes you think like an animal (not in a good way). If you get at least 100-120 grams of protein from animal sources you will not get zinc deficiency.
 

Razvan

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Everyone that i gave zinc they had problems from it.
If you eat a lot of choline and a lot of zinc you will dream with the eyes open. You wi have lucid dreams and you will be paranoid. By raising copper and inhibiting acetylcholine you will feel best.
 

redsun

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but zinc in plasma , right ?
Does the zinc test measure just free ionic Zn or also that bound to its transporter protein (metallothionein)?
Plasma zinc, serum copper. Should have clarified.

I
I don't know about that. Zinc is easier to retain than copper.
Copper gets depleted so easily i wouldn't even touch zinc.
Copper makes you more intelligent,zinc in excess makes you think like an animal (not in a good way). If you get at least 100-120 grams of protein from animal sources you will not get zinc deficiency.
If your 100-120g of protein does not have a good portion of it as red meat and dairy you will likely have suboptimal zinc status. And no zinc does not make you think like an animal lol, in excess maybe but it is a cofactors for synthesis of important neurotransmitters by activation of B6. This includes dopamine (and thus needed for norepinephrine, epinephrine), histamine, serotonin. Its also needed for NMDA function.

Copper does not get depleted easily. It is nearly impossible to get copper deficiency unless you take certain minerals (iron, zinc, manganese) for a LONG time in huge doses.
 

redsun

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Everyone that i gave zinc they had problems from it.
If you eat a lot of choline and a lot of zinc you will dream with the eyes open. You wi have lucid dreams and you will be paranoid. By raising copper and inhibiting acetylcholine you will feel best.
Zinc inhibits AchE so not surprising. Most people they need to take for a little while and as long as they consume a few servings of dairy and red meat very frequently, their levels should maintain well but not always. Bad digestion usually is helped by zinc along with histidine.
 

Razvan

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Plasma zinc, serum copper. Should have clarified.


If your 100-120g of protein does not have a good portion of it as red meat and dairy you will likely have suboptimal zinc status. And no zinc does not make you think like an animal lol, in excess maybe but it is a cofactors for synthesis of important neurotransmitters by activation of B6. This includes dopamine (and thus needed for norepinephrine, epinephrine), histamine, serotonin. Its also needed for NMDA function.

Copper does not get depleted easily. It is nearly impossible to get copper deficiency unless you take certain minerals (iron, zinc, manganese) for a LONG time in huge doses.
I know a lot of people including myself that had copper deficiency without any supplements. Gray hair it's the first signs.
My family always ate a lot of pork and beef everyday and they all had copper deficiency. Especially people in eastern europe tend to have copper deficiency. If you eat 120 grams of protein from dairy,some eggs and little beef you will not have deficiency.
 

redsun

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I know a lot of people including myself that had copper deficiency without any supplements. Gray hair it's the first signs.
My family always ate a lot of pork and beef everyday and they all had copper deficiency. Especially people in eastern europe tend to have copper deficiency. If you eat 120 grams of protein from dairy,some eggs and little beef you will not have deficiency.
Definitely a non-existent problem here in the USA since vegetable, starch, and fruit consumption is so common. I know Eastern europeans are heavy animal food eaters and can sometimes have diets low in copper. But usually they all consume potatoes frequently, maybe its not the case in your area. Grey hair can also be from B-vitamins deficiencies if your food choices are imbalanced.
 

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