Have you ever felt your overall health is declining with every passing day? Are you experiencing unintentional weight loss, acne, and dulled sense of smell and taste? If you answered YES, your body might not be getting enough zinc. 

 

Zinc is a micronutrient and a functional trace mineral working hard to keep you healthy in innumerable ways. Your body’s metabolic function is largely dependent on this trace element. A deficiency of zinc hinders the body’s ability to synthesize new and healthy cells. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 31% of the world population is zinc deficient [1]. 

 

Why Zinc Is So Crucial To The Body?

Your body naturally contains about 2-3 grams of zinc in bones and skeletal muscles. Some amounts of zinc are also present in the kidneys, retinas, pancreas, teeth, blood cells, liver, prostate gland, skin, and hair.

 

A large number of cells rely on zinc for their metabolisms. Zinc is also a vital element for enzymatic functions. Zinc also helps in protein and DNA formation, cell division, immune function, and wound healing. This micronutrient slows down age-related macular degeneration and influences taste and smell. 

 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the daily dietary zinc allowance to be 11mg for adult men and 8 mg for adult women [2].

 

Top 6 Signs That You’re Zinc Deficient:

But how can you know if your body is deficient in zinc? Here are some common signs of zinc deficiency:

 

1. Compromised Immunity: Studies indicate that low serum zinc levels are linked to weakened immunity [3]. When you have weak immunity, you start getting sick more often and catch colds more easily.

 

2. Loss of Appetite: Loss of appetite indicates you're zinc deficient. Zinc deficiency causes a decrease in the Ghrelin hormone. This hormone stimulates appetite and increases food intake. A diet lacking in zinc reduces your hunger to significant levels [4].

 

3. Leaky Gut: Leaky gut is a digestive condition in which toxins and bacteria leak through the gut and cause inflammation. You may be suffering from zinc deficiency if you have leaky gut and malabsorption issues [5].

 

4. Hair Loss/Baldness: Some studies have reported that people with alopecia have been found to be zinc deficient [6]. Zinc is a vital element that supports thicker hair growth. If you notice any bald patches or hair loss, watch out for your zinc intake. 

 

5. Loss of Taste and Smell: Loss of taste and smell due to zinc deficiency is more common in older adults. It is because zinc regulates one of the enzymes required for proper smell and taste [7].

 

6. Inability to Heal Wounds: Zinc deficiency affects your immune health and proper blood clotting. Studies report that zinc deficiency is linked with the reduced ability of the skin to heal wounds naturally [8]. If you notice that your cuts and scrapes are taking longer to heal, you’re lacking zinc in your body.

 

Conclusion:

If you experience any of the above-mentioned symptoms, you should go for a test to check your zinc levels. The most common test to check zinc deficiency is a blood test. However, a simple blood test cannot detect zinc deficiency because of trace amounts of zinc.

 

Therefore, a blood plasma test is the most accurate one. A urine test and analysis of the hair strand can also measure the zinc content. 

 

 

 

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References: 

[1]      Kumera G, Awoke T, Melese T, Eshetie S, Mekuria G, Mekonnen F, et al. Prevalence of zinc deficiency and its association with dietary, serum albumin and intestinal parasitic infection among pregnant women attending antenatal care at the University of Gondar Hospital, Gondar, Northwest Ethiopia. BMC Nutr 2015;1:31. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40795-015-0026-6.

[2]      Micronutrient Facts | Nutrition | CDC n.d. https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/micronutrient-malnutrition/micronutrients/index.html

[3]      Prasad AS. Zinc in Human Health: Effect of Zinc on Immune Cells. Mol Med 2008;14:353–7. https://doi.org/10.2119/2008-00033.Prasad.

[4]      Suzuki, Hajime; Asakawa, Akihiro; B. Li, Jiang; Tsai, Minglun; Amitani, Haruka; Ohinata, Kousaku; Komai, Michio; Inui A. Zinc as an Appetite Stimulator - The Possible Role of Zinc in the Progression of Diseases Such as Cachexia and Sarcopenia. Recent Pat Food Nutr Agric 2011;3:226–31. https://doi.org/10.2174/2212798411103030226.

[5]      Skrovanek S, DiGuilio K, Bailey R, Huntington W, Urbas R, Mayilvaganan B, et al. Zinc and gastrointestinal disease. World J Gastrointest Pathophysiol 2014;5:496–513. https://doi.org/10.4291/wjgp.v5.i4.496.

[6]      Saper RB, Rash R. Zinc: an essential micronutrient. Am Fam Physician 2009;79:768–72.

[7]      Pisano, Michele; Hilas O. Zinc and Taste Disturbances in Older Adults: A Review of the Literature. Consult Pharm 2016;31:267–70. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.4140/TCP.n.2016.267.

[8]      Lin P-H, Sermersheim M, Li H, Lee PHU, Steinberg SM, Ma J. Zinc in Wound Healing Modulation. Nutr  2018;10. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10010016.

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