Zinc Fuels Men's Workouts

by Diane Lofshult

Ironman^® wannabes, take note: Zinc may provide a winning edge when it comes to achieving your optimal physical performance. According to a study published in the May 2005 issue of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, active men who get too little zinc in their diets are more likely to run out of steam during prolonged exercise.

Male subjects (aged 20–31) who followed a 9-week diet low in zinc (3.8 milligrams per day [mg/day]) had a lower level of cardiovascular fitness than controls whose diet was fortified with the mineral (18.7 mg/day). The reason for the disparity in physical performance was thought to be somehow related to carbonic anhydrase, an enzyme in red blood cells that relies on zinc to help the body expel carbon dioxide during exercise.