Zinc is an important trace element or mineral and serves various important functions within the body. Trace elements are considered as micronutrients, which are required in small amount for performing their function. Zinc (Zn) acts as an important integral part of various enzymes and helps in cellular metabolism. It is associated with preventing a range of health hazards as it plays the role of an active antioxidant and helps in rapid wound healing. Recent studies have exposed that human body contain about 2 g of zinc and mainly it is found in the prostate gland.

Source

Human cannot synthesize zinc within their body hence it should be essentially supplied through diet to meet its need and to facilitate its action within the body. The food stuffs that contain adequate amount of zinc are listed below –

Meat
Fish
Eggs and poultry
Milks and dairy products
Beans

Nuts
Legumes
Whole grains
Potatoes
Guava
Apricots
Peaches

Numerous studies have uncovered that Zinc from animal sources are absorbed better than those which are derived from plant sources. Hence, it can be stated that zinc from animal sources have great biological value as it absorbed easily within the body and started its respective functions earlier.

Health benefits of Zinc

Role on growth and development

Zinc plays essential roles in growth and development of the body. It has seen that zinc is present as an integral part of various enzymes and hormones, which are responsible for proper metabolism hence resulting in promoting adequate growth and development of human body
Zinc is responsible for regulating those enzymes of the body which are responsible for synthesizing new cells
It acts as an important part of cell membrane hence helps to maintain the membrane permeability resulting in proper cellular transport
Zinc is responsible for maintaining the cell cycles in a suitable way and it helps in DNA synthesis

Role of zinc on the health and disease of children

Several studies have been carried out on zinc and that have exposed that children who consume adequate amount of zinc have greater physical and mental growth
Zinc helps to reduce the prevalence of children illness (especially diarrheas), morbidity and mortality rate

Role on immune system

Zinc helps to support the synthesis and maturation of natural killer cells, macrophages and neutrophils and enhance the cell mediated innate immunity
It stimulates the phagocytosis process, secretion of cytokines and intracellular killing which are related with boosting up the immunological responses

It helps in signal transduction

Role of zinc in reproduction

Zinc plays important role in the formation and maturation of spermatozoa hence stimulate the spermatogenesis process in male
It is associated with regulating the normal function of female reproductive hormones, enhances ovulation
It helps to support fertilization. Recent studies have exposed that zinc does not stored into the body hence it should be taken properly to sustain proper fertilization and pregnancy

Role of zinc to prevent diabetes mellitus

Zinc is an important structural component of insulin hormone and zinc makes the insulin hormone structurally and functionally active
Enhancing activity of insulin hormone can regulate the blood glucose level effectively hence helps to prevent diabetes mellitus
Zinc helps the β-cell of the pancreas to secrete and store insulin in suitable way that has a positive influence on insulin function

Role of zinc on the sensation of taste

Saliva is consisting of a zinc containing protein named gusten
Gusten is responsible for the sensation of taste

Antioxidant activity of zinc

It acts as antioxidant and protects the body from harmful effect of free radical
Zinc is an important part of the enzyme superoxide dismutase which acts as antioxidant

Role of zinc on promoting the function of cellular enzymes

Zinc is the structural component of some enzymes which include alkaline phosphatase, carboxy peptidase, and alcohol dehydrogenase and helps to enhance their function

Daily Recommendation, Deficiency disorders and Toxicity of Zinc

Various researches and studies have revealed that the daily recommendation of dietary zinc should be 10 mg. During the pregnancy and lactation, the requirements of zinc get increased hence it should be consumed fifty percent more than the daily requirements. If zinc is not taken as per recommendation then it would cause various deficiency diseases whereas if it is taken more than the recommended dose then it would cause several toxic symptoms, both of these conditions are harmful for health and it should be resolved with proper dietary intake.

Deficiency disorders of zinc

It has discussed in the following table -

Deficiency disorders of zinc

Main causes of zinc deficiency

Preventive measures which should be taken to inhibit zinc deficiency

Deficiency of zinc causes retardation of growth and development
It delays wound healing
Poor function of immune system
Frequent diarrhea
Sexual maturation gets delayed, especially hamper the spermatogenesis process
Sensation of taste get hampered
It causes anaemia
It is associated with losing of appetite that reduces food intake resulting in weight reduction and malnutrition
Deficiency of zinc especially during pregnancy affect the growth of the fetus in an adverse manner and causes congenital malformation of fetus leading to congenital anomalies such as neural tube defect
It is related with hair loss
It causes lesion in skin and eyes
Feeling of fatigue, lethargy and it causes general weakness

Inadequate intake of zinc rich food
Poor consumption of zinc during increased demand such as in pregnancy, lactation
Faulty feeding practice which include consumption of such food material with zinc that inhibits zinc absorption. Phytate present in cereals, corn, and tannin present in tea are responsible for inhibiting zinc absorption.
Suffering from cancer, chronic kidney disease, celiac disease, pancreatic disease, chron’s disease, diabetes, sickle cell anaemia and ulcerative colitis are associated with zinc deficiency
Excessive alcohol consumption

Consumption of foods that are rich in zinc
It is beneficial not to take tannin or phytate rich food after consuming dietary zinc as it can inhibit the zinc absorption
It is beneficial to soak beans, (one of the richest sources of zinc) before cooking hence it can reduce the amount of phytate
Not to consume alcohol
Encourage people to have healthy feeding practices with proper physical activities

Hyperactivities of zinc intake

Toxic symptoms

Causes

Preventive measures

Excessive intake of zinc causes –

Nausea
Chills
Excessive sweating
Fever
Chest pain
Shortness of breath
Coughing
Gastric ulcers
Welder’s lungs disease

Consumption of zinc more than 40 mg daily causes the zinc toxicity
Welder’s lung disease is caused by inhalation of fumes that contain zinc oxides

Consumption of dietary zinc as per recommended dietary allowance can prevent the toxic effect of zinc

Hence, it can be stated that zinc is an essential trace element that serves all these above-stated imperative and versatile functions. Zinc is known as the second abundant trace element (after iron) which is abundantly present in human body. It should be consumed in proper dose to obtain a healthy nutritional status.

Source:

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Chabosseau, P. and Rutter, G.A., 2016. Zinc and diabetes. Archives of biochemistry and biophysics, 611, pp.79-85.

Choi, S., Liu, X. and Pan, Z., 2018. Zinc deficiency and cellular oxidative stress: prognostic implications in cardiovascular diseases. Acta Pharmacologica Sinica, 39(7), pp.1120-1132.

Krężel, A. and Maret, W., 2016. The biological inorganic chemistry of zinc ions. Archives of biochemistry and biophysics, 611, pp.3-19.

Maares, M. and Haase, H., 2016. Zinc and immunity: An essential interrelation. Archives of biochemistry and biophysics, 611, pp.58-65.

Maret, W., 2017. Zinc in pancreatic islet biology, insulin sensitivity, and diabetes. Preventive nutrition and food science, 22(1), p.1.

Marreiro, D.D.N., Cruz, K.J.C., Morais, J.B.S., Beserra, J.B., Severo, J.S. and De Oliveira, A.R.S., 2017. Zinc and oxidative stress: current mechanisms. Antioxidants, 6(2), p.24.

Prasad, A.S., 2017. Discovery of Zinc for Human Health and Biomarkers of Zinc Deficiency. In Molecular, Genetic, and Nutritional Aspects of Major and Trace Minerals (pp. 241-260). Academic Press.

Sloup, V., Jankovská, I., Nechybová, S., Peřinková, P. and Langrová, I., 2017. Zinc in the animal organism: a review. Scientia Agriculturae Bohemica, 48(1), pp.13-21.