Zinc is a nutrient that plays many vital roles in your body.

Because your body doesn’t naturally produce zinc, you must obtain it through food or supplements.

This article explains everything you need to know about zinc, including its functions, health benefits, dosage recommendations and potential side effects.

锌被认为是一种必不可少的营养素，这意味着你的身体不能产生或存放它。

For this reason, you must get a constant supply through your diet.

锌是您体内许多过程所必需的，包括（ 1 ）：

  • 基因表达
  • Enzymatic reactions
  • Immune function
  • Protein synthesis
  • DNA synthesis
  • Wound healing
  • Growth and development

Zinc is naturally found in a wide variety of both plant and animal foods.

Foods that don’t naturally contain this mineral, such as早餐谷物，小吃吧和烘烤面粉，经常被强化synthetic formsof zinc.

You can also take zinc supplements or multi-nutrient supplements that provide zinc.

Because of its role in immune function, zinc is likewise added to some nasal sprays, lozenges and other natural cold treatments.

Summary

锌是一种基本的矿物，你的身体没有自己制作。它有助于生长，DNA合成，免疫功能等等。

Zinc is a vital mineral that your body uses in countless ways.

事实上，锌是你身体中第二大量的痕量矿物 - 之后铁- 并且存在于每个细胞中（ 2 ）。

Zinc is necessary for the activity of over 300 enzymes that aid in metabolism, digestion, nerve function and many other processes ( 3 ）。

In addition, it’s critical for the development and function of immune cells ( 4 ）。

这种矿物质也是基础skin health, DNA synthesis and protein production ( 5 ）。

更重要的是，由于其在细胞生长和划分中的作用，身体成长和发展依赖于锌（ 6 ）。

Zinc is also needed for your senses of taste and smell. Because one of the enzymes crucial for proper taste and smell is dependent on this nutrient, a zinc deficiency can reduce your ability to taste or smell ( 7 ）。

Summary

Zinc is essential for cell growth and division, immune function, enzyme reactions, DNA synthesis and protein production.

Research shows that zinc has numerous health benefits.

Boosts Your Immune System

Zinc helps keep your immune system strong.

Because it is necessary for immune cell function and cell signaling, a deficiency can lead to a weakened immune response.

Zinc supplements stimulate particular immune cells and reduce oxidative stress.

For example, a review of seven studies demonstrated that 80–92 mg per day of zinc may reduce the length of the common cold by up to 33% ( 8 ）。

更重要的是，锌补充剂显着降低了感染的风险，促进老年人的免疫应答（ 9 ）。

Accelerates Wound Healing

Zinc is commonly used in hospitals as a treatment for burns, certain ulcers and other skin injuries ( 10 ）。

Because this mineral plays critical roles incollagen合成，免疫功能和炎症反应，是正确愈合所必需的。

事实上，您的皮肤持有相对较高的量 - 大约5％ - 您的身体锌含量（ 11 ）。

While a zinc deficiency can slow wound healing, supplementing with zinc can speed recovery in people with wounds.

For example, in a 12-week study in 60 people with diabetic foot ulcers, those treated with 200 mg of zinc per day experienced significant reductions in ulcer size compared to a placebo group ( 12 ）。

可能会降低某些年龄相关疾病的风险

Zinc may significantly reduce your risk of age-related diseases, such as pneumonia, infection and age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Zinc may relieve oxidative stress and improve immune response by boosting the activity of T-cells and natural killer cells, which help protect your body from infection ( 13 ）。

补充锌的老年人改善了流感疫苗接种反应，降低了肺炎的风险并提升精神表现( 14 , 15 , 16 ）。

In fact, one study determined that 45 mg per day of elemental zinc may decrease the incidence of infection in older adults by nearly 66% ( 17 ）。

另外，在4,200多人的大型研究中，每天服用antioxidant补充剂 - 维生素E，维生素C和β-胡萝卜素 - 加80毫克锌降低视力损失，显着降低了先进AMD的风险（ 18 ）。

May Help Treat Acne

痤疮是一种常见的皮肤病，估计影响全球人口的9.4％（ 19 ）。

Acne is driven by obstruction of oil-producing glands, bacteria and inflammation ( 20 ）。

研究表明，局部和口腔锌治疗可以有效地治疗痤疮reducing inflammation，抑制生长P. Acnes.bacteria and suppressing oily gland activity ( 21 ）。

People with acne tend to have lower levels of zinc. Therefore, supplements may help reduce symptoms ( 22 ）。

Decreases Inflammation

Zinc decreases oxidative stress and reduces levels of certain inflammatory proteins in your body ( 23 ）。

Oxidative stress leads to chronic inflammation, a contributing factor in a wide array of chronic illnesses, such as heart disease,癌症and mental decline ( 24 ）。

In a study in 40 older adults, those who took 45 mg of zinc per day experienced greater reductions in inflammatory markers than a placebo group ( 25 ）。

Summary

锌可以有效地减少炎症,刺激我mune health, reduce your risk of age-related diseases, speed wound healing and improve acne symptoms.

Although severe zinc deficiency is rare, it can occur in people with rare genetic mutations, breastfeeding infants whose mothers don’t have enough zinc, people with alcohol addictions and anyone taking certain immune-suppressing medications.

Symptoms of severe zinc deficiency include impaired growth and development, delayed sexual maturity, skin rashes, chronic diarrhea, impaired wound healing and behavioral issues ( 26 ）。

Milder forms of zinc deficiency are more common, especially in children in developing countries where diets are often lacking in important nutrients.

It is estimated that around 2 billion people worldwide are deficient in zinc due to inadequate dietary intake ( 27 ）。

由于缺锌损害了您的免疫系统 - 增加感染的可能性 - 缺锌被认为每年5岁以下儿童造成超过450,000人死亡（ 28 ）。

Those at risk of zinc deficiency include ( 29 ）：

  • People with gastrointestinal diseases like Crohn’s disease
  • Vegetarians andvegans
  • Pregnant and breastfeeding women
  • Older infants who are exclusively breastfed
  • People with sickle cell anemia
  • People who aremalnourished, including those with anorexia or bulimia
  • 慢性肾病的人
  • 那些滥用酒精的人

Symptoms of mild zinc deficiency include diarrhea, decreased immunity, thinning hair, decreased appetite, mood disturbances, dry skin, fertility issues and impaired wound healing ( 30 ）。

Zinc deficiency is difficult to detect using laboratory tests due to your body’s tight control over zinc levels. Thus, you may still be deficient even if tests indicate normal levels.

Doctors consider other risk factors — such as poor dietary intake and genetics — alongside blood results when determining whether you need supplements ( 31 ）。

Summary

Risk factors for zinc deficiency include insufficient dietary intake, poor absorption, alcoholism, genetic mutations and old age.

许多动物和植物食品自然富含锌，使大多数人能够容易地消耗足够的金额。

Foods highest in zinc include (32）：

  • Shellfish:牡蛎，螃蟹，贻贝，龙虾和蛤蜊
  • Meat:Beef, pork, lamb and bison
  • Poultry:土耳其和鸡肉
  • 鱼：Flounder, sardines, salmon and sole
  • Legumes:Chickpeas, lentils, black beans, kidney beans, etc.
  • Nuts and seeds:南瓜种子，腰果，大麻种子等。
  • Dairy products:Milk, yogurt and cheese
  • 蛋
  • 全谷类：燕麦，奎奴亚藜，糙米等
  • Certain vegetables:Mushrooms,kale, peas, asparagus and beet greens

Animal products, such as meat and shellfish, contain high amounts of zinc in a form that your body easily absorbs.

Keep in mind that zinc found in plant-based sources like legumes andwhole grains由于抑制吸收的其他植物化合物（ 33 ）。

虽然许多食物在锌中自然高，但某些食物 - 如即食早餐谷物，小吃店和烘焙面粉 - 用锌强化（ 34 ）。

Summary

锌在贝类，肉类，家禽和乳制品等食物中自然发生，并添加到其他食物中，如早餐谷物和小麦粉。

正如锌的缺乏可能导致健康并发症，过量摄入也会导致负面副作用。

锌毒性最常见的原因是过多的补充锌，这可能导致急性和慢性症状。

毒性的症状include ( 35 ）：

  • Nausea and vomiting
  • 食欲不振
  • Diarrhea
  • 腹部绞痛
  • Headaches
  • 减少免疫功能
  • Decreased “good” HDL cholesterol levels

摄入过多的锌也可以引起其他营养素的缺陷。

For example, chronic high zinc ingestion can interfere with your absorption of copper and iron.

Reductions in copper levels have even been reported in people consuming only moderately high doses of zinc — 60 mg per day — for 10 weeks ( 36 ）。

Recommended Dosages

为了避免过度公共，除非医生推荐，否则远离高剂量锌补充剂。

The recommended daily intake (RDI) is 11 mg for adult men and 8 mg for adult women.

Pregnant andbreastfeeding womenshould consume 11 and 12 mg per day, respectively ( 37 ）。

Unless a medical condition is hindering absorption, you should easily reach the RDI for zinc through diet alone.

锌的可耐受的上层为每天40毫克。但是，这不适用于锌缺陷的人，可能需要服用高剂量补充剂。

If you take supplements, choose absorbable forms such as zinc citrate or zinc gluconate. Stay away from zinc oxide, which is poorly absorbed ( 38 ）。

Summary

Zinc toxicity may cause diarrhea, headache, abdominal cramps and reduced immunity. Most people can obtain their daily dose of zinc through diet alone.

Zinc is needed for DNA synthesis, immune function,metabolismand growth.

It may reduce inflammation and your risk of some age-related diseases.

大多数人符合男性11毫克的RDI和8毫克女性through diet但是，老年人和抑制锌吸收的疾病的人可能需要补充。

Because high-dose zinc supplements can lead to dangerous side effects, it’s important to stick to recommendations and only take supplements when necessary.