Zinc

Published by NHC on February 22, 2021February 22, 2021

Zinc

Info
Dosage (RDI)	Adults: Males >18 years: 14 mg/day Females >18 years: 8 mg/day.
Absorption location	Duodenum and Ileum
Forms	Zinc sulfate (most common) Zinc gluconate (most common) Zinc picolinate Zinc methionine Zinc carnosine
Storage Sites	Skeletal muscle (60%) Bone (30%) Prostate and testes
Uses
Deficiency symptoms	White spots on nails Impaired taste and smell Anorexia Impaired growth Delayed sexual maturation, hypogonadism, hypospermia, menstrual issues Dermatitis around the orifices (eg. acrodermatitis enteropathica) Alopecia Chronic and severe diarrhoea Immune system dysfunction decreased T-helper 2 cells Increased susceptibility to infections Impaired wound healing Night blindness, swelling and clouding of the corneas Behavioural disturbances Erectile dysfunction Nail dystrophy Photophobia Reduced serum testosterone in males
Causes of deficiency	Low dietary intake Phytates, Calcium, Soy protein rich diets Vegetarianism/Veganism Malabsorption syndromes Inflammation Weight loss Medications Antihypertensive drugs (ACE inhibitors, ARBs, Thiazide diuretics) Penicillamine Chlorothiazide Anorexia Specific infections (eg. Yersinia enterocolitica infection) Periods of growth Excessive loss through ejaculation, urine, skin Chronic alcoholism Obesity Renal impairment Extensive burns Gastric bypass Villi atrophy Hypogonadism Erectile dysfunction/impotence
Therapeutic Uses	Increased immunity decreases rhinovirus binding to cells modulates inflammatory cytokines and histamine release Common cold prevention and treatment lozenges are most effective Acne and other skin conditions Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) Erectile dysfunction/Impotence Male fertility Wilson’s disease Sickle cell anaemia Athletes (counteract loss through perspiration) Improving taste perception Wound healing May help with Tinnitus
At Risk Groups	Ages 1-3 years Ages >70 years
Sources
Food	Best bioavailable sources: Meat Liver Eggs Seafood Oysters Shellfish Other sources (do contain phytates): Nuts Brazil Almonds Cashews Pecans Walnuts Seeds Pepitas Sunflower Grain sources of zinc are basically unobtainable due to phytate to zinc ratio. Phytate content can be reduced by fermenting and sprouting, improving zinc absorption.
Roles
Roles	HCL production in the stomach Growth and development Immune function Non-specific immunity T-cell function Gastrointestinal structure and function Neurological function Prostate health Fertility (male and female) Sperm count and motility Antioxidant
More
Diagnosing Deficiency	No accurate assessment of zinc status is currently available Zinc taste test is too variable to produce accurate results
Interactions	Phytates Calcium (high doses) Coffee (separate by 2 hours) ACE inhibitors Copper (can deplete copper if taking long term) Iron (separate by 2 hours) NSAIDs (separate by 2 hours) Tetracyclines and quinolones Thiazide and loop diuretics Methylphenidate Beneficial improvement in children with ADHD when taking concurrently Antidepressants (TCA, SSRI) Beneficial improvement when taking concurrently
Toxicity/Adverse Effects	High dose zinc can cause copper deficiency lower immune system Nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea GI distress
Note	Several studies suggest that zinc bioavailability from supplements is significantly better than from food. Over the long term however, studies have showed that this diminishes over a few days of consecutive dosing, due to compensatory down regulation of zinc transporters, and absorption quickly becomes comparable with the lower amount seen with food.

References

Braun, L., & Cohen, M. (2015). Herbs and Natural Supplements, Volume 2. Elsevier Health Sciences.
Hechtman, L. (2018). Clinical Naturopathic Medicine. Elsevier Health Sciences.

Osiecki, H. (2010). The Nutrient Bible (8th ed.). Bio Concepts Publishing.