Calcium and zinc are really enemies! Baby is calcium deficient, supplement calcium! Lack of zinc, replenish zinc! But， Lack of calcium and zinc? You're playing with me... but in real life, many parents encounter such situations. So, the question arises - should we first supplement zinc or calcium? Should we supplement separately or together?
Zinc supplementation before calcium supplementation
According to the scientific method of nutrition, zinc should be supplemented first, followed by calcium, and it is best not to supplement both at the same time. Because zinc and calcium are both divalent metal cations, they are absorbed through the same pathway in the intestine. Therefore, co supplementation of zinc and calcium not only does not increase absorption, but also antagonizes and competes for protein carriers, thereby reducing their respective absorption rates.
This is simply the 'love and kill' in the nutrition industry! Careless parents should not be tempted by convenience. Giving babies zinc calcium mixed preparations is unscientific. Moreover, supplementing with zinc first can promote the division, growth, and regeneration of bone cells, which is more conducive to the absorption and deposition of calcium, achieving twice the result with half the effort.
Stagger the time of taking medication
If it is necessary to supplement zinc and calcium at the same time, the timing should be staggered. It is best to supplement calcium at least 2 hours after zinc supplementation, so as not to affect absorption rate. Eating lean meat, animal liver, and other zinc supplements during the day, and having a cup of hot milk before bedtime is a good choice.
PS, the journey of accompanying the baby's growth is also the process of Baba Ma Ma upgrading from a rookie to a great immortal fighting monsters. The baby grows up day by day, and the parents also become strong and brave day by day. With this bowl of chicken soup, we are once again a "hero"!
