Zinc is a trace element required for human health. It affects a number of body systems, including the nervous system and its center, the brain. To get the zinc your brain needs to function properly, you need to consume about 10 mg a day by eating zinc-rich foods such as cheese, legumes, red meat and seafood. You shouldn't take zinc supplements unless your doctor recommends them, however. Too much zinc can be fatal.
Zinc and Brain Development
Zinc is an essential nutrient for the developing brain, and zinc deficiency in early life can have long-lasting effects on cognitive functioning. Animal studies have shown that zinc deficiency during prenatal development may result in fetal neural abnormalities and decreased cognitive capabilities later in life, according to a review published in "The Journal of Nutrition" in 2003. In vivo studies also associate zinc deficiency during critical brain development periods in infancy and childhood with cognitive, emotional and behavioral problems, as well as decreased motor functioning skills, according to the review.
Zinc and Mental Functioning
Zinc continues to serve important functions in the fully developed brain throughout adulthood. According to research published in "Synapse" in 2009, on a cellular level, zinc plays a key role in synaptic transmissions -- or communication between brain cells. In the brain, zinc is stored primarily in gluzinergic neurons, located in the limbic and cerebral cortexes, which control emotions and reasoning. Clinical research has demonstrated the effects of zinc deficiency on mental performance. In a study published in "Trace Elements in Man and Animals 10" in 2000, adult men performed worse on cognitive and psychomotor tests after 35 days on a diet that was deficient in zinc.
Zinc Supplements
Some research supports the use of zinc supplements in treating certain disorders involving the brain. According to MedlinePlus, zinc deficiency has been associated with depression, and correcting such a deficiency with zinc supplementation may thereby treat depression that's linked to a zinc deficiency. Other research links low zinc levels to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, and zinc supplements may possibly be effective in treating children with this disorder, notes MedlinePlus. The website also reports that some research indicates a small benefit of zinc supplements for slowing the progression of Alzheimer's disease.
Excessive Zinc
While your brain needs some zinc in order to function properly, the brain can also be harmed by too much zinc. In fact, in high amounts, zinc has a neurotoxic effect on the brain. Release and accumulation of free zinc in the brain resulting from a head trauma can cause brain cell death. Furthermore, zinc competes in the body for the absorption of copper, another important mineral for brain heath. Excessive zinc can thus lead to copper deficiency and related brain dysfunctions. Nevertheless, zinc deficiency is a far more common health problem than excessive zinc, according to research published in the "International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health" in 2010.
References
- "The Journal of Nutrition"; The Evidence Linking Zinc Deficiency with Children's Cognitive and Motor Functioning; M. Black; July 2003
- "Synapse"; Zinc: The Brain's Dark Horse; B.K. Bitanihirwe and M.G. Cunningham; November 2009
- USDA Agricultural Research Service: Nutrition and Brain Function - Metals Essential to the Brain's Hardwiring
- "Trace Elements in Man and Animals 10"; Zinc Nutriture as Related to Brain; H.H. Sandstead, et al.; 2000
- MedlinePlus: Zinc
- "International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health"; The Essential Toxin: Impact of Zinc on Human Health; L.M. Plum; April 2010
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