Zinc Zapping Medications:

While everyday medications and over-the-counter products generally do our bodies good, they may also be robbing our bodies of essential vitamins and minerals, such as zinc, an essential mineral that is important for the growth, development and health of body tissues and to help keep colds at bay. Common drugs that zap zinc include:

• Antacids/acid blockers — those that contain various forms of calcium, magnesium and aluminum as their active ingredients can rob the body of zinc . By neutralizing stomach acid, antacids interfere with the absorption of zinc that is ingested from food.
• Oral Contraceptives — Birth control pills can deplete a woman's level of zinc. The recommended daily allowance of zinc, as suggested by the Food and Drug Administration, is 11 milligrams for men and 8 milligrams for women. Women taking oral contraceptives without a zinc supplement are not meeting the daily recommendation for zinc, which could hurt their health in the long run.

Other popular medications that deplete the body of zinc include:

• ACE Inhibitors — medications used to treat high blood pressure and congestive heart failure
• AZT — an antiviral medication used to treat HIV infections
• Cipro — an antibiotic for 14 types of infections, especially urinary tract infections
• Corticosteroids — steroid hormones commonly used to treat joint pain and inflammation, allergic reactions and asthma, among other ailments
• Nasal corticosteroids — medications used to treat nasal allergies
• Loop Diuretics — medications used to treat hypertension and edema resulting from kidney failure and congestive heart failure
• Hormone Replacement Therapy — medications given to post-menopausal women/post-hysterectomy
• Tetracycline — an antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections and is commonly prescribed to treat acne

Conditions That Predispose You to Less Zinc:

Certain diseases can cause the body to be depleted of the necessary mineral zinc. If your body is being deprived of zinc, speak to your doctor for recommendations on putting zinc back in your body. Conditions that can cause a zinc deficiency include:

Acrodermatitis enteropathica (a lack of absorption of zinc from the intestine) Alcoholism Burns Type 2 Diabetes mellitus Down's syndrome Eating Disorders Intestinal diseases Infections (continuing or chronic) Kidney disease Liver disease Being male, as zinc is essential for the production of testosterone Pancreatic disease Premature infants (may or may not need more zinc) Sickle cell disease Skin disorders Stomach removal Stress (continuing) Thalassemia Trauma (prolonged)