During the course of the audit, when I was explaining about the different zinc chelates and what it all means, she commented that she takes her zinc until she starts to get the metallic taste in her mouth. Then she stops. She had heard the metallic taste was an indicator that she was getting too much zinc and she should back off.

If you have ever taken a zinc taste test and consulted with me about the results, you know that zinc is necessary for you to have the ability to taste metals. If you are zinc deficient, you will not "taste" the zinc. If you have adequate zinc reserves, you will. Here's why:

There is an enzyme in your mouth called gustin. This enzyme allows you to taste metals. It is a zinc-dependent enzyme. Studies have shown that zinc deficiency causes deficiencies in this enzyme that will affect your ability to taste. According to the study I recently reviewed, just 9 days of supplementation will reactivate this enzyme and allow you to taste metals again.

We use this taste sensation in our zinc taste test to determine if you have enough zinc in your body. About 90% of the clients I test are zinc deficient. It takes daily supplementation with a good quality zinc to reverse the deficiency (I know this personally through testing).

So you see, my client was wrong when she stopped her zinc because of the metallic taste. That is an encouraging sign that the zinc levels are increasing. She now takes her zinc every day, as everyone should.

If you would like more information on our zinc taste test, give me a call or shoot me an email. I'll be happy to help you. Our Medicine Cabinet Audits are also very helpful. They take approximately 30 minutes. We sit down in the pharmacy and review every supplement and drug you take and I make lots of suggestions and recommendations to optimize and complement your drug therapy with natural products. If appropriate, I also make suggestions for compounded drugs that may solve some very unique and individual problems.