Too much perfume? Could be a zinc deficiency.

Do you know someone who wears too much perfume or cologne? Although it's extremely unpleasant for their co-workers and those sitting close to them at the movie theater or on the commuter train, these folks usually have no idea that their scent is over-powering to those around them.  And in fact,  it may be the result a nutritional deficiency.

At the recent annual conference of the American College of Nutrition, researchers presented results of an intriguing study that found that those who over-apply scents have dramatically lower zinc levels than normal. In addition to affecting your sense of taste and smell, zinc is critical for a healthy immune response and neurological function.

It can be touchy to approach someone about what seems like a personal grooming matter. But if anyone has ever hinted to you that your cologne might be a little over-the-top, consider the possibility that low zinc levels are rendering your sniffer unreliable.

Good food sources of zinc include meat, dairy products, shell-fish, nuts, and beans.  (Here's a more complete list of foods rich in zinc, generated with ND's Nutrient Search Tool.  The Recommended Daily Allowance is around 10mg per day.