Still, the most important step in the prevention of colon cancer is early and consistent screening for the disease which is the fourth leading cause of cancer mortality in the U.S., behind lung, breast, and prostate. 1,6, December 1998. It was discovered more than thirty years ago that zinc deficiency occurs in humans. Tremendous progress has been made recently to understand the clinical role of zinc in the body. Unfortunately, little effort has been made to correct the deficiency in populations where the disease, which affects nearly one billion people, is common.
Zinc deficiency has a severe impact on human health.
Clinical trials have shown that growth retardation, male hypogonadism, neurosensory changes, delayed wound healing, abnormal immune function, and impaired cognitive functions are major effects of zinc deficiency. Two papers were published in the December 1998 edition of the Journal of the American College of Nutrition on the subject of Zinc deficiency and its impact on human health. If this observation is to be confirmed, zinc status would have to be considered a risk factor for the above conditions. Zinc deficiency, and its characteristic illnesses, is common in both developing countries and the developed world. There are many adverse health consequences related to zinc deficiency, yet it remains a neglected problem.