ORAI1 is a marker for esophageal cancer. When it is present in esophageal tumor tissue, it leads to a poor prognosis.

Writing in The FASEB Journal, scientists found that zinc supplementation inhibits the proliferation of esophageal cancer by inhibiting ORAI1.

Esophageal cancer is the sixth most common cause of cancer deaths worldwide. There is a direct association between esophageal cancer and smoking and alcohol abuse.

Zinc deficiency is one of the most common nutritional deficiencies I diagnose. My testing has shown that more than 50 percent of people are deficient.

Zinc is needed for hundreds of different reactions in the body, and adequate levels are needed for the immune system to function.

The zinc levels in our food supply have fallen dramatically over the last 40 years. But zinc supplementation must be done carefully because taking too much zinc can cause copper deficiency.

Zinc is found in seafood, dairy products, pumpkin seeds, nuts, dark chocolate, chicken, beans, and mushrooms. However, the refining of foods can leave the end food source low in zinc.