Zinc deficiency is a problem for some two billion people worldwide. In developing countries, it is one of the main causes of the increased burden of disease. In developed countries, by contrast, things are not much better, and the risk of zinc deficiency is still very high. Deficiency produces symptoms affecting many different body systems. It's worth knowing what the causes and consequences of zinc deficiency are, so that you'll be able to spot it and implement appropriate intervention. Read to the end!
- Symptoms of zinc deficiency
- Zinc deficiency - how to diagnose it?
- Causes of zinc deficiency
- How common is zinc deficiency?
- Deficiency can be remedied with a combination of proper diet and supplementation
- Caution not to overdo it
- Summary
Symptoms of zinc deficiency
Zinc deficiency conditions clinically affect many systems and organs:
- epidermis,
- gastrointestinal tract,
- central nervous system,
- immune system,
- skeletal,
- reproductive.
One of the best studied clinical features associated with zinc deficiency is impaired growth and physical development. However, the mechanisms involved are not well understood. The effect is most significant during periods of rapid growth, such as pregnancy, infancy and puberty, during which the need for zinc is highest.
Symptoms of zinc deficiency include:
- weakened immunity and recurrent infections,
- impaired cognitive function and memory,
- behavioral problems,
- learning difficulties,
- diarrhea,
- skin problems,
- alopecia,
- impaired glucose tolerance,
- inflammation of the tongue,
- nail dystrophy,
- impaired wound healing,
- in men hypogonadism.
Zinc deficiency - how to diagnose it?
Clinical diagnosis of mild zinc deficiency in humans is problematic. So far, the best-known indicators of deficiency are plasma/serum zinc concentration, dietary intake and incidence of dwarfism.
However, blood zinc testing is not recommended for screening. Clinical symptoms matching the deficiency should be evaluated first, and the test of the concentration of this element in the blood should be a complementary parameter to the picture.
Causes of zinc deficiency
Too low an intake relative to the requirement is the most common cause of zinc deficiency. Patients with malnutrition, alcoholism, inflammatory bowel disease and malabsorption syndromes are at increased risk of zinc deficiency.
Below is a collection of the strongest and most common causes of zinc deficiency:
- protein-restricted diets,
- vegetarian diets,
- anorexia nervosa,
- exclusive parenteral nutrition,
- chronic gastrointestinal diseases,
- hookworm infection and malabsorption syndromes,
- pancreatic insufficiency,
- chronic renal failure or malignant tumors,
- feeding infants modified milk with low zinc content,
- poor socioeconomic status,
- protein-calorie malnutrition,
- intestinal dermatitis(Acrodermatitis enteropathica).
How common is zinc deficiency?
Deficiency is particularly common in populations of developing countries, where up to ¼ may have the problem. Deficiency is most often found in poor and underdeveloped societies, where there is little consumption of foods that are sources of zinc, and a lot of foods that contain substances that impair its assimilation. This is the case with a diet based mainly on cereals. The biggest problems are seen in African and Asian countries.
Globally, zinc deficiency is a problem for about 17-20% of the population. It is also a big problem in Western countries.
Deficiency can be remedied with a combination of proper diet and supplementation
When a zinc deficiency is identified, supplementation is usually used right away to quickly return to homeostasis. For supplementation to be effective, one must make sure that swallowing a capsule or tablet is not accompanied by a meal rich in phytic acid or fiber, or other supplements that interact with zinc. It is best to take it on an empty stomach and wait a while with a meal.
In the first phase, daily doses of 1 mg of zinc per kilogram of body weight or more are sometimes used. After recovering from a deep deficiency, a standard maintenance dose of 10-15 mg of elemental zinc each day is sometimes used.
Caution not to overdo it
When discovering a zinc deficiency in yourself, you need to be careful not to approach supplementation with over-enthusiasm. Supplementation with too high doses or for too long can lead to zinc accumulation in the body, and such a condition is toxic. If increased doses are used to quickly correct a deficiency, then symptoms must be monitored and a decision made in a timely manner to reduce the dose or discontinue the supplement.
Excess zinc is most often due to over-supplementation without proper indications or copper deficiency. Diet alone is hard to cause zinc toxicity.
Summary
The combination of the widespread effects of zinc deficiency and its high prevalence worldwide means that we cannot ignore the issue of dietary supply of this element. Zinc deficiency is a real problem that can affect any of us. It is worth keeping in mind what symptoms zinc deficiency causes, so that in the event of health complications we can assess whether disturbed zinc homeostasis is the culprit. The most characteristic symptoms of zinc deficiency are decreased appetite and impaired taste sensation, weakened immunity, skin deterioration and worse mood.
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