Zinc belongs to a class of nutrients called trace minerals, which you need to consume in small amounts every day. While you may only need to consume a small amount to give your body what it needs, the mineral is largely important in your body. Zinc is involved in the function of more than 100 enzymes and is found in almost every cell in your body.
Gene Expression
Zinc plays a role in the structure of both DNA and RNA. Zinc acts as a transcription factor, which is a substance that binds to DNA and controls the stream of genetic information to RNA. This regulates gene expression, which is a process that turns information from a gene into a separate gene product.
Growth and Aging
Zinc is needed for proper growth and development, especially in infants, growing teenagers and during pregnancy. The mineral plays a role in cell division and cell differentiation, which is the process that determines what a cell becomes in your body.
According to a 1995 study published in the "Aging" journal, adequate amounts of zinc in the body help to reduce the risk of age-related diseases. The mineral, which works with an enzyme in your eyes that helps you use vitamin A for vision, may play a role in preventing the development of age-related macular degeneration, or AMD.
Immunity
When a potentially harmful organism enters your body, white blood cells attack the organism in an attempt to destroy it. White blood cells have a very short life cycle, living only a few days to a few weeks. When white blood cells die, your body generates new white blood cells to keep your white blood cell count normal. Zinc is vital to the production of these white cells, and so the mineral plays an important role in your immune system.
Zinc also keeps your body safe by playing a part in wound healing. Enzymes and proteins that allow your body to produce new skin cells and allow these skin cells to grow contain significant amounts of zinc. Zinc also helps to reduce the inflammation that often accompanies skin wounds.
Taste and Smell
Zinc also plays a role in smell and taste acuity. Zinc is present in your taste buds, and a deficiency in zinc has been linked to altered taste perceptions, according to "Nutrition and You" by Joan Salge Blake.
Considerations
Zinc is often sold as a remedy for sore throats, cough and the common cold. However, "Nutrition and You" notes that several medical studies have found that zinc does not have any effect on the symptoms of a cold and that, in fact, the high dosages used may put you at risk of developing other medical problems.
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