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Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Zincis an essential mineral that’s naturally found in many foods. Adults and children with certain health conditions or restrictive diets may not get enough zinc from food and might need to take supplements. Skin rashes and frequent colds are common symptoms of zinc deficiency.
This article discusses the symptoms and causes of zinc deficiency. It also covers how it’s diagnosed and what you can do to treat it.
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Low zinc can cause symptoms but they may not be noticeable right away. The symptoms of a zinc deficiency often do not start until levels have been low for several months.
Here are some of the possible symptoms of zinc deficiency you may experience in different parts of your body:
Skin
Immune and respiratory
Gastrointestinal
Sensory
Cognitive
Sexual Health
Not getting enough zinc in your diet, eating certain foods, having malabsorption problems, or health conditions like liver disease can cause zinc deficiency. Some chronic health conditions likesickle cell diseasecan also make you more likely to become deficient in zinc.
You could also have another nutritional deficiency along with a zinc deficiency, which could cause additional or different side effects.
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Pregnant People, Breastfeeding, and Babies
People who are pregnant or breastfeeding can become deficient in zinc because supporting a growing fetus and/or infant uses up a lot of nutrients. Babies who develop a zinc deficiency can have slowed growth and may have trouble gaining weight.
You may want to talk to your provider about nutritional supplements if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. If you’re concerned about your child’s nutrition, talk to your pediatrician.
Medical conditions that can lead to zinc deficiency include:
Dietary factors that can lead to low zinc include:
How Zinc Deficiency Affects the Body
Zinc is involved in a few different important body functions:
If you aren’t getting enough zinc, your body may have a harder time completing these tasks.
Zinc and Your Immune System
The diagnosis of zinc deficiency can be hard because it isn’t a standard blood test. Your levels, along with your symptoms and diet history, can help your provider figure out if you have low zinc.
Your provider will take a detailed medical history and do a physical examination. You may also need diagnostic tests as part of your evaluation, such as blood tests.
Blood Tests
A zinc level is not necessarily the first test you would have, and there are other blood tests your provider might want to check first, including:
If your provider does check your zinc levels, they will look to see if they are within normal range.
A mild zinc deficiency may not show up on a blood test for zinc levels. You can have a normal blood zinc level even if you have a slight deficiency.
Can You Take Zinc for a Cold If You’re Not Deficient?
If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you may need more zinc each day:
Foods that Contain Zinc
Manyfoods contain zinc, but oysters have the most zinc per serving: Just one raw oyster (15 g) has 5.9 mg of zinc.
Other foods that contain zinc include:
Supplements
If you have a health condition that affects your body’s ability to absorb zinc from the food you eat, you may need to takezinc supplements. Your provider will tell you how much zinc you need to take in supplement form and may recommend one to you.
Taking zinc supplements can affect yourcopperlevels. Your provider might recommend you take a zinc supplement that also has copper in it to help prevent a copper deficiency.
Zinc Toxicity
It is possible to take too much zinc. The symptoms of zinc toxicity include:
Effects of OTC Zinc Cold SpraysNasal gel and sprays made with zinc used to be marketed as an over-the-counter (OTC) treatment for the common cold.However,the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued warningsthat long-lasting or permanent loss of smell (anosmia) can result from using these products. Therefore, many companies have pulled them from the market.
Effects of OTC Zinc Cold Sprays
Nasal gel and sprays made with zinc used to be marketed as an over-the-counter (OTC) treatment for the common cold.However,the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued warningsthat long-lasting or permanent loss of smell (anosmia) can result from using these products. Therefore, many companies have pulled them from the market.
Nasal gel and sprays made with zinc used to be marketed as an over-the-counter (OTC) treatment for the common cold.
However,the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued warningsthat long-lasting or permanent loss of smell (anosmia) can result from using these products. Therefore, many companies have pulled them from the market.
Does Zinc Really Work for Colds?
Summary
Zinc deficiency can cause symptoms like diarrhea, cold symptoms, rash, vision problems, or weight loss. Your provider may order blood tests to help diagnose a zinc deficiency or rule out other conditions that could cause similar symptoms.
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5 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Institute of Health.Zinc.USDA.Oysters, raw.Harvard Medical School.Zinc.Mount Sinai.Zinc.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.Toxicological profile for zinc.
National Institute of Health.Zinc.
USDA.Oysters, raw.
Harvard Medical School.Zinc.
Mount Sinai.Zinc.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.Toxicological profile for zinc.
Mayo Clinic Laboratories, Test ID ZNS,Zinc, Serum
National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements,Zinc, Fact Sheet for Health Professionals
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