How To Do A Zinc Taste Test

Zinc deficiency has a negative impact on neurological health, bone and skin health, immune system and digestive health.
Contact us to learn more!

Read More About the Importance of Zinc Here!

Please Note: This taste test is NOT as accurate like Plasma Zinc blood test, which is the #1 best way to test for zinc.
But it is a helpful option to see the general level of deficiency.
We recommend that parents do the zinc taste test for themselves first before testing child(ren) or other family members.

Directions For The Zinc Taste Test

• This easy, inexpensive method you can do at home. 
• It is a method to assess general zinc deficiency. 
• It is not as accurate like the best method, which is blood testing for plasma zinc, but it will help show a deficiency.
• Use Liquid Zinc (as zinc sulfate monohydrate)
• We recommend Zinc Challenge (zinc sulfate monohydrate, 4 mg per 1 tsp.) by Premier Research
  Order here: https://www.amazon.com/Designs-Health-Zinc-Challenge-Beauty/dp/B000FGXMAY

Testing Procedure:

1. For accurate results, do not eat, drink or smoke for about one hour before the test (water is ok to drink.)
2. Using a small paper cup, take a drink of the liquid zinc sulfate solution - measure out 1/4 tsp. - that's all you need.
3. Hold and swirl the liquid zinc in your mouth for exactly ten seconds.
4. Then swallow it.
5. Observe the taste response while the zinc is in your mouth, with the four options below.

Standards for Taste Testing

These are the four categories used for determining zinc deficiency when doing a zinc taste test:

1. VERY DEFICIENT

• It tastes like plain water; there is no specific taste.
• This means there is a serious deficiency of zinc.
• Recommended supplementation is usually more than 150 mg of zinc per day.
• Consult with a skilled homeopath for guidance on how much to dose and what type of zinc is best absorbed.
• If you are VERY deficient, a full metabolic panel is recommended.

2. QUITE DEFICIENT

• No immediate taste is noticed at first, but within the ten seconds of the test a ‘dry’ or ‘metallic’ taste occurs.
• This indicates a moderate deficiency of zinc.
• Recommended zinc supplement of about 100 mg of zinc per day.
• Consult with a skilled homeopath for guidance on how much to dose and what type of zinc is best absorbed.
• If you are QUITE deficient, a full metabolic panel is recommended.

3. SLIGHTLY DEFICIENT

• There is an immediate slight taste is noted, which increases with time over the ten second period.
• This indicates a minor deficiency of zinc.
• Recommended zinc supplement of about 50 - 60 mg of zinc per day.
• Consult with a skilled homeopath for guidance on how much to dose and what type of zinc is best absorbed.

4. ADEQUATE

• An immediate, strong and unpleasant taste is experienced; you feel like you want to spit out the zinc!
• This indicates that no deficiency of zinc at this time.
• These means the diet or any supplementation done is adequate
• This means no additional zinc supplementation is required at this time.

Recommended Daily Zinc Dosing

• If you are adequate, the recommended daily allowance (RDA) to maintain adequate zinc levels in our practice is
  • 15 - 20 mg for children
  • 30 mg for adults
• Zinc suppplements can be either obtained through adequate diet that includes protein or through supplementation or a combination of both
• Vegetarians and vegans will be low in zinc, Vitamin B12 and high in copper. This is because they do not eat meat, which is a rich food source of zinc.

Dosing Zinc In Times of Stress

• We recommend you do the zinc taste test in times of stress, especially prolonged stress.
• This includes in autoimmune disease, during colds, during and after the flu and at other stressful period for the person
• Under stress or with toxin exposure, zinc requirements can be about 100 mg perday or more.

What If Too Much Zinc is Taken?

• Zinc is a water-soluble element.
• If you take more zinc than is needed, the person will feel a small intestinal discomfort.
• Reducing zinc intake will bring a person back into balance.
• Read more about zinc here
• Contact us to order a metabolic panel that accurately determines your zinc sufficiency (by testing plasma zinc), methylation status (by testing whole blood histamine), copper toxicity  (by testing serum copper) and free copper burden (by testing ceruloplasmin)

Watch Video About Zinc Taste Testing
(3:26 minute)

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