Nutrition Guide: Zinc

Are you getting enough of the nutrient zinc that your body needs?

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What does it do?
Zinc is a mineral that is essential for growth and development at all stages of life. Zinc supports a healthy immune system, participates in wound healing and helps form the structure of proteins and cell membranes.

How much do you need?

What are the best food sources?
Good food sources of zinc include beef, shellfish (crab and oysters) and dark meat, such as that found in chicken and turkey. Whole grains tend to be richer in zinc than refined grains because processing removes portions of the grain that contain the majority of the mineral.

What happens if you don’t get enough?
Because zinc is involved in so many core processes of the body, the sign and symptoms of deficiency are inconsistent and varied. Zinc deficiency can occur when dietary intake is low, when it is poorly absorbed, when there are increased losses of zinc (which can happen to people with prolonged diarrhea) and during times when the body needs increased amounts of zinc, such as high growth periods. Signs of zinc deficiency include growth retardation, hair loss, diarrhea, delayed sexual maturation and impotence, impaired wound healing, diminished appetite, and eye and skin lesions.

What happens if you get too much?
There have been no reports of adverse effects as a result of eating too much naturally occurring zinc from foods. Long-term intakes of supplemental zinc in excess of the body’s needs have been shown to suppress the immune system, decrease HDL ("good") cholesterol and reduce copper status in the body.

Infants 0-6 mo. 2* mg/day 4
Infants 7-12 mo. 3* mg/day 5
Children 1-3 yr. 3 mg/day 7
Children 4-8 yr. 5 mg/day 12
Males 9-13 yr. 8 mg/day 23
Males 14-18 yr. 11 mg/day 34
Males 19-30 yr. 11 mg/day 40
Males 31-50 yr. 11 mg/day 40
Males 51-70 yr. 11 mg/day 40
Males > 70 yr. 11 mg/day 40
Females 9-13 yr. 8 mg/day 23
Females 14-18 yr. 9 mg/day 34
Females 19-30 yr. 8 mg/day 40
Females 31-50 yr. 8 mg/day 40
Females 51-70 yr. 8 mg/day 40
Females > 70 yr. 8 mg/day 40
Pregnancy < 18 yr. 12 mg/day 34
Pregnancy 19-30 yr. 11 mg/day 40
Pregnancy 31-50 yr. 11 mg/day 40
Lactation < 18 yr. 13 mg/day 34
Lactation 19-30 yr. 12 mg/day 40
Lactation 31-50 yr. 12 mg/day 40

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