Your body needs tiny amounts of zinc to stay healthy, as it plays an important role in maintaining immunity, reproduction, growth, vision, taste and smell. Zinc is used medicinally to treat the common cold and a variety of other ills, though its effectiveness has not been proven. High doses of zinc can pose serious health risks, and long-term use of supplements is not recommended. Talk to your doctor before taking zinc supplements.
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Benefits
Zinc deficiency is rare in the West, but it can be caused by severe diarrhea, cirrhosis, bowel disease that impairs the body's ability to absorb zinc, as well as after surgery and long-term tube feeding. Zinc deficiency can cause appetite and weight loss, impaired immunity and slowed healing, hair loss, diarrhea, impotence, sores, slowed thinking and growth and delayed puberty. In these cases, zinc supplements are sometimes used to restore zinc levels to the proper balance. Zinc might also ease diarrhea in malnourished children or those with a zinc deficiency and can treat Wilson's disease, a rare condition that causes copper to build up in the body.
Uses Under Study
Perhaps the most common use of zinc is to shorten the common cold, but the evidence for its effectiveness is conflicting. Some studies have found a benefit to taking zinc lozenges for a cold, but others have not. Using zinc in a pill or nose spray does not seem to work, according to MedlinePlus. Zinc is also used to treat acne, osteoporosis and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, but there is not yet enough scientific evidence to know if it works or not.
Side Effects
Do not take more than 40 mg a day of zinc or use it long-term without clearing it with your doctor first. At recommended doses, zinc can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, a metal taste in the mouth and damage to the kidneys and stomach. Zinc nose sprays may cause you to lose your sense of smell, and the FDA has warned consumers not to use them. If you use zinc topically on broken skin, to treat acne or other skin conditions, you may experience burning, stinging, itching and tingling. At high doses, zinc can cause fever, dizziness, headache, drowsiness, sweating, coordination problems, hallucinations, cough, anemia, immune problems, cholesterol issues, urinary tract infections, abdominal pain and fatigue. It may also increase your risk of prostate cancer.
Warnings
Avoid taking any form of zinc supplement if you have HIV/AIDS, as it may worsen your condition or even shorten your life, according to MedlinePlus. If you are pregnant or nursing, do not take zinc supplements without talking to your doctor first. If a mother's zinc levels are too high, it can cause a copper deficiency in the baby.
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