Zinc is an element found in food and supplements that you need for good health. You only need small amounts of it, which is why it’s referred to as an essential trace element. According to the Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS), too much zinc can lead to symptoms of cramping, nausea, diarrhea, headaches and vomiting. You can get all the zinc you need by following a healthful diet. Consult your doctor before trying oral or topical zinc supplements.
Purpose
Zinc plays a major role in cell growth and development. It’s especially important for growing children and pregnant women to get enough zinc in their diet. According to the ODS, zinc is also involved in immune system function, protein synthesis, healing wounds, DNA synthesis and taste/smell functionality in your body. Your body can’t store zinc, so you must take the proper amount in each day to ensure that you get enough of it.
RDA
The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for zinc varies depending on age. Infants require 2 mg per day, while toddlers need about 3 mg. Children ages 4 to 8 need 5 mg per day. Adolescents require about 8 mg, while teenagers need slightly more at 9 mg. Adult intake drops to 8 mg per day with the exception of pregnant or lactating women, with an RDA of 11 mg to 13 mg per day. Seafood is particularly high in zinc, such as oysters at 76.7 mg per six oysters, so should be limited in your diet.
Upper Limit
Humans cannot tolerate excessive zinc in their diet. The established upper limit (UL) for daily zinc intake for adults is 40 mg, including pregnant or lactating women. The UL drops to 34 mg, 23 mg, 12, mg, 5 to 7 mg and 4 mg for teens, adolescents, children, toddlers and infants, respectively. According to Medline Plus, a branch of the National Institutes of Health, high doses of zinc can cause fever, diarrhea, stomach pain and fatigue. Consuming doses of 100 mg per day for 10 years or more doubles your risk of developing prostate cancer, according to Medline Plus.
Fatal Dosage
Exceptionally high doses of zinc can be fatal. Consuming 450 mg or more zinc per day is tolerable by humans but causes problems with blood iron, according to Medline Plus. It states that a single dose of 10 g to 30 g of zinc is fatal in most humans. To avoid excessive zinc, limit your intake of oysters, beef shanks and crab. Each of these foods has 43 percent or greater of your daily value (DV) for zinc. Consult your doctor before taking zinc supplements to ensure that you need the extra zinc in your diet.
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