The Biological Importance of Zinc

There are 1.4-2.4 g of zinc in the human body. It is present in all body tissues, mostly – in skeletal muscles, bones, skin, hair, and less – in internal organs.

A lot of zinc is needed for blood production, regulating cell multiplication, sexual maturity, growth, gland function, pancreas function, it is part of insulin and alkaline phosphatase, it influences nail and hair growth, etc.

A person needs to get 3-15 mg of zinc per day with food. With a mixed diet, about 40% of zinc is absorbed. Zinc from animal food products is absorbed better than from plant-based ones, whose proteins contain a lot of phytic acid.

During lactation, up to 25% of zinc is secreted per day with a woman's milk. Interestingly, infants absorb up to 90% of the zinc present in mother's milk, while from milk formulas – only 10-15%.

Zinc deficiency is associated with growth disorders, delayed sexual maturity, anemia, hepatosplenomegaly. Lack of zinc increases sensitivity to infection, wounds heal slower, appetite decreases, vitamin A absorption is poor.

The main sources of zinc are meat and meat products (100 g of meat contains 1.5-20 mg of zinc), oysters (100 g contains 100 mg of zinc), shrimp; from plant-based food products – cereals, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, mushrooms, citrus fruits, carrots, beets, garlic. Milk and dairy products contain little zinc.