Why do we need zinc?

Zinc is important for a healthy immune system, properly synthesizing DNA, promoting healthy growth during childhood, and healing wounds.

Listed below are zinc's key benefits:

1) Regulating immune function

Zinc is an "essential trace element" because our bodies only need very small amounts of it.

According to the European Journal of Immunology2, the human body needs zinc to activate T lymphocytes (T cells). T cells help the body in two ways: 

controlling and regulating immune responses by attacking infected or cancerous cells

■ Zinc deficiency can severely impair immune system function.

According to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition3, "zinc-deficient persons experience increased susceptibility to a variety of pathogens".

■ Treating diarrhea

According to the World Health Organization, diarrhea "kills an astonishing 1.6 million children under 5 every year. An article in TIMEmagazine said that "zinc pills appear to halt diarrhea in its tracks."

In addition, a PLoS Medicine study, which "followed a nationwide public health campaign to increase zinc use for childhood diarrhea in Bangladesh", confirmed that a 10-day course of zinc tablets is effective at treating diarrhea and also helps prevent future bouts of the condition.

■ Affecting learning and memory

Research conducted at the University of Toronto and published in the journal Neuron revealed that zinc has a crucial role in regulating how neurons communicate with one another, affecting how memories are formed and how we learn.

■ Treating the common cold

Zinc lozenges were found to shorten the duration of common cold episodes by up to 40% in a study published in the Open Respiratory Medicine Journal.

In addition, a Cochrane review4 concluded that taking "zinc (lozenges or syrup) is beneficial in reducing the duration and severity of the common cold in healthy people, when taken within 24 hours of onset of symptoms."

■ Healing wounds

Zinc may help protect the skin and mucosal membranes. A Swedish study that analyzed zinc in wound healing, concluded that "topical zinc may stimulate leg ulcer healing by enhancing re-epithelialization, decreasing inflammation and bacterial growth. When zinc is applied on wounds it not only corrects a local zinc deficit but also acts pharmacologically."5

■ Preventing age-related macular degeneration (AMD)

Zinc prevents cellular damage in the retina, which helps in delaying the progression of AMD and vision loss, according to a study published in the Archives of Ophthalmology.6

Zinc is also possibly effective for the treatment of:

1) Acne - One study, published in JAMA7, showed promising results of zinc sulfate for the treatment of acne.

2) Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

3) Osteoporosis

4) Preventing and treating pneumonia