Zinc & the Brain

In this video, I discuss why zinc is so important for the brain. I’ll address:

1. Psychiatric conditions linked to low zinc.

2. Three ways that zinc impacts neurotransmitter functioning.

3. Zinc’s role as an antioxidant and its relationship to metallothioneins.

4. The importance of zinc for immune regulation.

5. The many ways zinc impacts the digestive tract.

6. How we measure zinc (along with copper) and the limitations of typical lab ranges.

7. Why optimizing zinc requires testing and monitoring.

To learn more about this and other factors contributing to brain symptoms or to receive these newsletters in your mailbox each week, visit www.CourtneySnyderMD.com

Additional resources for those who’d like to take a deeper dive:

Meet the NMDA Receptor (paid)

High Copper, Metallothionein, Mental Health & Cancer (paid)

Mast Cell Activation & Inflammation in Brain Conditions: How to Calm Things Down (free)

Walsh Research Institute

Medical Disclaimer:

This newsletter is for educational purposes and not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment for either yourself or others, including but not limited to patients that you are treating (if you are a practitioner). Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having.

[lisanilsson]

This was very helpful! I appreciate that you are speaking slowly😊

[Craigdna]

Hi Courtney, thank you for posting about zinc. I have been learning a lot about zinc, as I realized that I am not going to understand health, nutrition, and the brain, without understanding it. I began to learn about the zinc T transporters, the ZIP transporters, the zinc shank proteins, metallothioneins, GPR39 receptors as well as zincs roles in the NMDA and AMPA receptors. Along the way, I am realizing that zinc and/or copper can also be toxic in people with various neurodegenerative disorders and neuropsychiatric disorders. Zinc acts on residues of Histidine, Aspartate, Cysteine, Serine, Asparagine, Threonine, as well as other amino acid residues. Histidine came up frequently so I branched off in learning about histidine, carnosine, beta alanine, and histamine, and this is where I have found numerous answers. Carnosine in particular, synthesized by astrocytes, has an enormity of beneficial effects as an anti oxidant, reduction of AGEs, APEs, helps to prevent cross linking of proteins(AD), detoxifies cadmium, mercury, lead, and plays a very significant role in zinc, copper, and manganese homeostasis, which is incredibly important. In it's role in acting as a reservoir for histidine and its conversion to histamine, I think it is potentially important in understanding histamine homeostasis.I am happy to share the research files I am referencing it you are interested. I am delighted that you are talking in depth about zinc, the immune system, and zinc's pathways. Thank you.

[franklesko]

What do you consider optimal zinc levels to be? Copper, too?

[breannaswagerty]

Thank you for sharing this information. Do you recommend a specific laboratory for testing?

[D.W]

I have a zinc deficiency in my hair analysis but when I supplement, after a few days my ankle joint hurts, I don't know what's going on...

[sethburkhart]

Thanks for your wonderful channel. I would love to be able to have you treat me if I end up figuring out the financial aspect.

[vasuanisetti]

Could absorption be an issue? Would liposomal form of Zinc be useful? My child was diagnosed with problems of Zinc metabolism. We give him 5mg of OTC syrup of Zinc in an elderberry formulation. Not sure if that is effective and adequate?

[albineg]

Would be interesting to hear your take on ayurveda and ayurgenomics and connect that to the Walsh research institute.

[franklesko]

I have a bizarre issue where supplemental zinc seems to cause aggressiveness (for lack of a better word) and temper issues. I am normally very peaceful and always have great self control and struggle with OCD and anxiety but one dose of zinc and within 1-3 days I’ll fly off the handle and do something completely out of character like get in a shouting match at work.

I take zinc very rarely just for its obvious immune boosting effects but almost always regret it. I’ve never heard a good explanation for why it might have this effect on me.

My levels were recently tested and yielded 61 uh/dl so my guess is that’s on the low side.

[katetroxell]

Is there a maximum amount of zinc a person could take safely?

[Ziggy]

Zinc has done wonders for my depression and anhedonia but I accidentally crashed my copper levels with zinc supplements. I now eat cashews to get my copper up. That seems to keep everything at healthy levels. So I'm doing good now.

[edyt.]

Thank you Dr. Snyder. What are your thoughts about hair mineral analysis? Also the Espectracel micronutrients test?