30 Seconds Summary
Research Spotlight: Does zinc supplementation cause weight loss or weight gain?

  • Zinc is essential for many bodily functions including metabolism, immune response, and enzyme activity.
  • A meta-analysis showed zinc supplementation has a negligible effect on weight loss (-0.04kg) across various populations.
  • No significant weight change was observed in all individuals with a BMI ≥ 25 or those with BMI < 25.
  • Zinc supplementation did show some weight loss in overweight/obese people without other health issues, but the effect disappeared after adjusting for study duration.
  • In contrast, zinc increased weight in individuals with osteoporosis or on hemodialysis, and decreased weight in those with depression, though these results are based on limited studies.
  • Overall, zinc supplementation isn't likely to significantly affect weight loss or gain in healthy, non-deficient individuals.
  • Further review indicates zinc supplementation does not significantly improve strength, endurance, or testosterone in exercising adults.
  • Athletes and those with high physical activity should ensure adequate zinc intake, found in foods like shellfish, beef, nuts, and seeds, to prevent deficiency.

Track & Plan Workouts
with Ease

  • Unlimited workout logs
  • Automatic volume tracking
  • Personalized programs
  • RPE support, rest timer, and more!
WorkoutWise Screenshot

Read Next

11 Tips to bolster your immune system against illness

As the world is held in the grip of the corona virus SARS-CoV-2, our immune systems can use all the help we can give them. This article contains 11 tips to bolster your immune system to prevent and recover from illness. None of these tips have been proven to protect against coronavirus disease 2019…

MennoHenselmans.com

Menno Henselmans

Ask Mike & Menno

Mike Israetel and I have done a number of live Q&A sessions on Instagram the past period, but we generally got more questions than we could answer. In this video we answer the most interesting questions we missed, in particular those from my Facebook page. 0:00 Opening remarks 0:40 Menno and Mike’s…

MennoHenselmans.com

Menno Henselmans

The Tex-Mex bowl of awesomeness

This guest recipe by sanneleenman.com is one of my favorite recipes ever. It’s damn tasty, ludicrously nutritious, amazingly customizable and even the bro-est of bros should be able to prepare it without experiencing brain failure. Ladies and gentlemen, let no Bayesian ever drink olive oil to consum…

MennoHenselmans.com

Bayesian Bodybuilding

Plant Gains? Advice to the Vegetarian and Vegan Athlete.

Going vegetarian or vegan and worried about losing your gains? In this article, we dive deep into the difference between vegetarian diets and non-vegetarian diets, the difference between plant and animal protein, and what to keep in mind when trying to make gains on a vegetarian or vegan diet.

Stronger By Science

Artin Entezarjou

Do vegan diets negatively impact bone health?

How might resistance training alter risk in vegans? A recent study by Wakolbinger-Habel et al explored that exact question.

Stronger By Science

Eric Trexler