Zinc is the second-most concentrated essential mineral in your body and plays a crucial role in a wide variety of bodily functions. You can get zinc from many foods in your diet, but some people might require a supplement. Consult your doctor before you take a zinc supplement or increase your intake of zinc-rich foods.
Benefits
Zinc is a mineral that your body needs to create hundreds of different enzymes that affect wound healing, protein metabolism, vision health, fertility, immune-system function and much more, says the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Zinc also supports carbohydrate metabolism, cell reproduction and division, and your senses of smell and taste, notes the University of Maryland Medical Center. Although zinc deficiencies are rare in developed countries, people who live in poorer or developing nations are susceptible to low zinc levels, states the University of Michigan Health System.
Foods
You can get zinc from eating certain foods, including oysters and other seafood, meats, soy products, and eggs, according to the University of Michigan Health System. Zinc is also found in black-eyed peas and wheat germ. Vegetarians often have difficulty getting enough zinc, because the zinc in non-animal sources isn't as readily absorbed, MayoClinic.com notes. If you're a vegetarian who eats dairy, however, you can get zinc from cheeses. Other plant-based sources of zinc include whole grains, legumes and nuts. Breakfast cereals are also often fortified to contain zinc, adds the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
Considerations
If you have liver cirrhosis, Down's syndrome, alcoholism, malabsorption disorders, chronic kidney disease or sickle cell anemia, you're likely to have a zinc deficiency, says the University of Michigan Health System. Children with alopecia areata and pregnant teenagers or pregnant women living in developing countries also tend to have a zinc deficiency. Taking certain medications can reduce your body's absorption of zinc as well. These medications include ACE inhibitors like captopril, drugs that block stomach acid, oral contraceptives and diuretics in the thiazide family, notes the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Consuming high doses of calcium, manganese, copper, soy and iron in foods or supplements could also block zinc absorption. Increasing the amount of zinc-rich foods in your diet or taking a supplement can help to correct a deficiency in most cases.
Intake
The recommended daily intake of zinc for adult men 14 years of age or older is 11 mg, and the intake for women 19 years of age and older is 8 mg, according to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. If you're pregnant, your recommended intake of zinc is 11 mg daily or 12 mg if you're breastfeeding. The intake is 13 mg for pregnant teenage girls and 14 mg for breastfeeding girls 18 years of age or younger. Daily intake of zinc for children ranges from 2 mg to 11 milligrams, depending on exact age and gender. The average supplemental dosage of zinc is 15 mg per day, but therapeutic doses of up to 50 mg are sometimes recommended for people with specific medical conditions, says the University of Michigan Health System. Don't take any dosage of a zinc supplement before first asking your doctor.
Warnings
Taking a zinc supplement is not as safe as enriching your diet with zinc-containing foods, because you can experience toxicity from taking too much zinc in supplement form, warns the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Zinc supplementation in higher doses can interfere with copper absorption, which could lead to heart arrhythmias and anemia. Zinc may also interfere with your body's absorption of magnesium, iron and other minerals. Taking excessive doses of zinc can actually hurt your immune system function, but normal doses and dietary amounts of zinc cause no adverse effects, says the University of Michigan Health System. Finally, taking zinc supplements could interact negatively with medications that include amiloride, tetracycline or fluoroquinolone antibiotics and penicillamine.
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