5 Benefits Of Zinc + How To Make Sure You Get Enough Of The Essential Mineral

There's a lot of talk about macronutrients—carbs and protein and how much you need—but essential micronutrients, or vitamins and minerals, like zinc are also foundational for good health. Here, we discuss the benefits of zinc and everything you need to know about taking zinc supplements. 

Zinc is an essential trace mineral. "Trace" means that your body needs it in small amounts to function properly, while "essential" means that our bodies can't synthesize zinc on its own. Instead, we must consume it daily.

Zinc is a unique element with antioxidant properties necessary for the activity of over 100 enzymes and a wide range of critical functions in your body. These include cellular metabolism, protein synthesis, the creation of DNA, immune function, vision, and your senses of taste and smell, to name a few. Zinc also supports a healthy pregnancy and key features of growth and development. 

Because your body can't make zinc, you need to get it in adequate amounts from the foods you eat. Adult women need at least 8 milligrams of zinc per day, while men need 11 milligrams. Daily zinc requirements increase to 11 to 12 milligrams during pregnancy and lactation, respectively. 

Since zinc is a known nutrient gap1 in many diets (conservative estimate: 15% of Americans consume inadequate zinc), supplemental zinc can be a prudent strategy.

But how exactly does zinc work in the body? There are a number of ways:

Aaron Hartman, M.D., a double board-certified medical doctor and clinical researcher, explains that zinc is essential for the function of our innate immune system—our body's first line of defense that fights infection and targets abnormal cells (e.g., cancer). "Even slight deficiencies in this nutrient have been seen in chronic illness, recurrent infections, skin disease, and autoimmune conditions," says Hartman.

In fact, zinc is critical for the development and function of many immune cells in our innate (neutrophils, macrophages, and natural killer cells) and adaptive immune (B-cells and T-cells) responses. Inadequate zinc can weaken these immune defenses.

One meta-analysis that was published in JRSM Open2 found that supplementing with zinc lozenges at a dose of at least 75 milligrams per day reduced the duration of the common cold by an average of 33%.

"The research on the role of zinc in immune function is particularly important and relevant now due to COVID-19," says Kylie Ivanir, M.S., R.D., of Within Nutrition. "Zinc is necessary for maintenance and development of immune cells; zinc deficiency can result in increased susceptibility to disease."

In one study that was published in Wound Repair and Regeneration3 in 2017, researchers divided 60 participants with diabetic foot ulcers into two groups. One group supplemented with 50 milligrams of zinc (from zinc sulfate) for 12 weeks, while the other group received a placebo. The group that supplemented with zinc had a significant reduction in the size of the ulcers.

As an added bonus, this clinical trial demonstrated that zinc supplementation also improved several metabolic health parameters (including blood glucose, insulin, insulin sensitivity, and HDL [or "good"] cholesterol), antioxidant status and glutathione levels, and key biomarkers of chronic inflammation.

In addition to wound healing, some forms of zinc may also help clear up your skin. Although acne causes are multifactorial, preliminary research indicates that zinc's anti-inflammatory properties may benefit those with acne (AKA acne vulgaris)4.

What about other skin health conditions? In one small study published in the International Journal of Dermatology5, participants with rosacea were given either 300 milligrams of zinc sulfate (which equates to approximately 70 milligrams of zinc) or a placebo for three months. After the treatment period, the group taking zinc experienced significant improvements in rosacea, with minimal side effects.

Zinc is an important cofactor6 in some of the major reactions in the body that help manage inflammation. When you're deficient in zinc, it can heighten the inflammatory response and, over time, cause damage to your body. 

In fact, zinc deficiency over time can contribute to systemic inflammation7 and is thought to be linked to impaired immune function often seen in older adults.

In fact, clinical studies using zinc supplementation in elderly adults have shown that zinc can decrease the production of inflammatory cytokines8, reduce oxidative stress, and decrease the incidence and severity of infections.

Preliminary evidence9 shows that zinc supplementation may help slow down the progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) by increasing autophagy (i.e., cellular cleanup) and reducing oxidative stress. 

AMD is a degenerative disease that affects the macula, and it's the leading cause of vision loss in the U.S. The macula is the central part of the retina, where zinc happens to be very highly concentrated10.

In a clinical trial published in Current Eye Research11 in 2008, participants with AMD were given either 25 milligrams of zinc twice daily or a placebo. After six months, the zinc group had significant improvements in visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, and flash recovery time.

And zinc was a key component of the AREDS/AREDS2 formulas, which have shown promise for improving intermediate and late-stage AMD. These seminal eye health clinical trial interventions also included antioxidant micronutrients copper; vitamins C and E; and carotenoids beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin.

As with many other nutrients, the best approach to getting the zinc you need (again, the recommended intake12 is 8 to 11 milligrams per day for adults) is by eating a variety of foods that contain this mineral. If you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet—or don't eat shellfish, red meat, or poultry—you may have a harder time getting dietary zinc. That's where supplements may come in handy.

There are plenty of foods that are high in zinc. Some of the most significant sources are:

That said, not all zinc food sources are created equal. Zinc absorption13 in the gut is significantly higher when the mineral is consumed from protein versus plant sources. That's because phytates—a natural part of plants, considered "anti-nutrients"—are known to inhibit zinc absorption (and calcium and iron absorption, too).

While it's best to get as much zinc as you can from foods, nutrient gaps can exist. Zinc supplements are widely available; however, there are several types, and some are better than others.

There are many forms of zinc out there, delivered via complexes (salts and chelates). These specific forms include zinc bisglycinate, sulfate, oxide, gluconate, acetate, picolinate, citrate, glycerate, and monomethionine.

Amino acid chelate forms of this mineral (e.g., zinc bisglycinate chelate) are unique, and research shows they're gentle, premium, and well-absorbed14 forms of zinc.

While there aren't plentiful side-by-side clinical trials in humans, to inform bioavailability of different forms of this mineral, a few do exist. For example, zinc oxide absorption has been shown to be lower15 than zinc citrate and gluconate forms. And zinc bisglycinate14 has been shown to have superior absorption over zinc gluconate.

In addition to choosing the right form of zinc, dose is important. Taking too much can interfere with another essential mineral: copper. "Zinc reduces the amount of copper the body is able to absorb, so high doses of zinc can result in copper deficiency," explains Ivanir.

Specifically, total daily intakes (i.e., food plus supplements) of zinc greater than 60 milligrams, over time, have been tied to copper deficiency.

Experts also agree that when choosing a supplement, make sure it's tested for purity and potency.

It's important to talk to your health care practitioner before making any major lifestyle changes, and that includes supplementing with zinc. If your doctor gives you the go-ahead to take a zinc supplement, there are a few things you can do to ensure you're supplementing in a smart way.

While you can take zinc every day, make sure you're not overdoing it. The upper limit for zinc (meaning the most you should get in a day) is 40 milligrams. If you take more than this regularly, you may experience mild gastrointestinal distress. But acute zinc toxicity (typically seen with single zinc doses16 of 225 milligrams and higher) may involve more serious symptoms like abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and lethargy.

You should also be careful about when you're taking your zinc supplements in relation to other vitamins and minerals. According to Ivanar, "Taking large amounts of supplemental iron (over 25 mg) may decrease zinc absorption, so these two mineral supplements should be taken separately." That's because iron and zinc compete for the same absorption transporter in the small intestine.

If you take medications, make sure to discuss any possible drug-nutrient interactions with your health care provider. As Ivanar explains, "Zinc supplements can interact with certain medications such as specific antibiotics, the drug penicillamine, and certain diuretics." 

Zinc is an essential mineral with many important functions in the body. Zinc supports your immune function, keeps your skin healthy, attenuates inflammation, and helps protect your eyes. Because your body can't make zinc, you need to get it through your diet or by complementing your diet with a high-quality zinc supplement (if your doctor says it's OK). If you do take zinc supplements, make sure you're staying under 40 milligrams per day and that you're also getting enough copper (most adults need 1 milligram per day).