Zinc is a trace mineral, meaning you only need tiny amounts each day. Still, it supports many important body functions such as immunity. You can purchase zinc in a variety of over-the-counter supplement forms to help boost your immune function. Zinc can be toxic in high amounts, so consult a physician about safe dosages.
Roles in Your Body
Zinc has three distinct roles in your body: catalytic, structural or regulatory. In zinc's catalytic role, it helps speed up the function of about 100 various enzymes required for chemical processes. Structurally, zinc is a physical component of proteins and cell walls, including white blood cells that fight off foreign bacteria. You also need zinc to regulate normal growth and development, as well as reproduction.
Zinc and Immunity
Zinc is essential for innate immunity, which is a system of cells and a series of processes that make up your immune system. This is your body's first line of defense when exposed to foreign invaders. Researchers at the Technical University of Aachen in Germany published an overview in 2003 in the "Journal of Nutrition" discussing the effects of zinc on the immune system. Having decreased levels of zinc in your system impacts innate immunity, resulting in impaired function of white blood cells and other types of cells that rid your body of harmful bacteria. Taking zinc supplements or lozenges may not prevent an illness, such as the common cold, but it may help with the duration of symptoms.
Dosage
Healthy adult women need 9 mg of magnesium daily, while men need 11 mg, according to the Linus Pauling Institute. If you are pregnant, increasing your dosage to 11 mg can help keep your immune system working at its best. While breast-feeding, you need 12 mg of zinc to support immune functions. Oysters are one of the best sources of zinc, but crab, beef, pork and poultry are also full of this trace mineral. Other sources include dairy foods, beans, chickpeas, almonds and peanuts.
Toxicity
The tolerable upper intake level, or UL, for zinc is 40 mg per day for adults, according to the U.S. Food and Nutrition Board. This is the maximum amount you can safely ingest before you begin having adverse effects. Acute toxicity results in immediate gastrointestinal distress, including diarrhea, vomiting and abdominal cramping. Chronic toxicity, by ingesting more than 60 mg of total zinc daily for an extended period of time, may lead to copper deficiency. While having a copper deficiency is rare, it causes a low white blood cell count, resulting in a weakened immune system.
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