Zinc

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Zinc

What is it?

Zinc is an essential mineral that is a component of more than 300 enzymes needed to repair wounds, maintain fertility in adults and growth in children, synthesize protein, help cells reproduce, preserve vision, boost immunity, and protect against free radicals, among other functions.

In double-blind trials, zinc lozenges have reduced the duration of colds in adults,1 2 3 but have been ineffective in children.4 The ability of zinc to shorten colds may be due to a direct, localized anti-viral action in the throat. For the alleviation of cold symptoms, lozenges providing 13–25 mg of zinc, in the form of zinc gluconate, zinc gluconate-glycine, or zinc acetate, are used, typically every two hours while awake, but only for several days. The best effect is obtained when lozenges are used at the first sign of a cold.

Lozenges containing zinc gluconate, zinc gluconate-glycine, or zinc acetate have been effective, whereas most other forms of zinc and lozenges flavored with citric acid,5 tartaric acid, sorbitol, or mannitol, have been ineffective.6 Trials using forms other than zinc gluconate, zinc gluconate-glycine, or zinc acetate have failed, as have trials that use insufficient amounts of zinc.7 Therefore, until more is known, people should only use zinc gluconate, zinc gluconate-glycine, or zinc acetate.

Zinc reduces the body’s ability to utilize the essential mineral copper. (For healthy people, this interference is circumvented by supplementing with copper, along with zinc.) The ability to interfere with copper makes zinc an important therapeutic tool for people with ’s disease—a genetic condition that causes copper overload.

Zinc supplementation in children in developing countries is associated with improvements in stunted growth, increased weight gain in underweight children, and substantial reductions in the rates of diarrhea and pneumonia, the two leading causes of death in these settings.8 9 10 Whether such supplementation would help people in better nourished populations remains unclear.

A small, preliminary trial has found zinc sulfate to be effective for contact dermatitis (a skin rash caused by contact with an allergen or irritant).11 Participants with active skin rashes took approximately 23 mg of zinc (in the form of zinc sulfate) three times daily, for one month. 73% of those taking the zinc sulfate had complete resolution of their skin rashes, while the remaining participants had a 50–75% improvement. Further trials are needed to confirm these preliminary findings, however.

Where is it found?

Good sources of zinc include oysters, meat, eggs, seafood, black-eyed peas, tofu, and wheat germ.

Zinc has been used in connection with the following conditions (refer to the individual health concern for complete information):

Rating

Health Concerns

Acne

Acrodermatitis enteropathica

Childhood intelligence (for deficiency)

Common cold/sore throat (as lozenges)

Down’s syndrome

Down’s syndrome

Infertility (male) (for deficiency)

Night blindness (for deficiency)

’s disease

Wound healing (oral and topical)

Anemia (for thalassemia if deficient)

Anorexia nervosa

Attention deficit–hyperactivity disorder

Birth defects prevention

Canker sores (for deficiency only)

Celiac disease (for deficiency)

Cold sores (topical)

Common cold (as nasal spray)

Crohn’s disease

Genital herpes

Gingivitis (zinc plus bloodroot toothpaste)

Halitosis (zinc chloride rinse or toothpaste)

Hepatitis C (zinc-L-carnosine)

HIV support

Immune function (for elderly people)

Infection

Liver cirrhosis (for deficiency)

Macular degeneration

Peptic ulcer

Pregnancy support

Rheumatoid arthritis

Sickle cell anemia

Skin ulcers (oral and topical zinc)

Sprains and strains (if deficient)

Tinnitus (for deficiency only)

Type 1 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes (preferably for those with a documented deficiency)

Warts