Zinc is an essential mineral found naturally in some foods and necessary for the body. Zinc, which takes part in cellular metabolism, is necessary for the catalytic activity of various enzymes. It also takes part in the immune system, wound healing, protein and DNA synthesis, and cell division. It supports growth and development during pregnancy, childhood and adolescence. In particular, it provides the development of the sense of taste and smell.
Zinc, which plays a role in many different ways in body systems, cannot be stored in the body for a long time. Therefore, it must be taken externally with various foods or supplements.
Due to some reasons, adequate daily amount of zinc cannot be taken into the body. In this case, zinc deficiency is observed.
What Causes Zinc Deficiency?
Zinc deficiency is basically a condition associated with inadequate and unbalanced nutrition. Many food sources contain zinc. Animal products, grains, vegetables and fruits, and seafood are examples of zinc-rich food groups. Therefore, zinc deficiency can be seen as a result of not consuming enough of these foods. Since the most valuable food group in terms of zinc is animal foods, vegan and vegetarian individuals may be in the risk group for zinc deficiency. Elderly individuals, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and babies over 6 months old who are exclusively breastfed are also in the risk group.
In addition, various chronic diseases can cause zinc not to be adequately absorbed by the body.
Other causes of zinc deficiency include intense exercise during the day and excessive alcohol consumption.
What Are the Symptoms of Zinc Deficiency?
Zinc is involved in cell production and functions of the immune system in the body. The deficiency of zinc, which is a part of growth, development and reproduction, can cause the inability to produce new cells. Symptoms of zinc deficiency can be listed as follows:
• Unexplained weight loss
• Decreased sense of taste and smell
• Open or non-healing wounds on the skin
• loss of appetite
• Diarrhea
• Hair loss
• Frequent infectious diseases due to weakening of the immune system
• Developmental delay in infants and children
• Spiritual changes
• Yellowing in skin color
• Loss of sexual desire
• Acne that occurs in various parts of the body, especially on the face
• Decrease in testosterone hormone
Zinc deficiency generally causes growth retardation, loss of appetite and loss of immune system functions. In severe cases, it can cause hair loss, delayed sexual maturation, diarrhea or eye and skin lesions. Individuals may also experience weight loss and mental lethargy.
How is Zinc Deficiency Diagnosed?
Most of the symptoms seen in zinc deficiency are not only related to zinc deficiency. Therefore, physical examination and various tests are required for definitive diagnosis. Zinc diffuses throughout the body as a combination of protein and nucleic acids. Therefore, laboratory tests are not sufficient to measure how much of this mineral is present in the body. Plasma and serum zinc levels can provide information about the general zinc level in the body. However, these too cannot deliver data at the cellular level due to homeostatic control mechanisms.
The clinical effects of zinc deficiency are understood by abnormal laboratory data. There are some factors to consider when determining whether individuals need zinc supplements. These factors can be divided into some risk factors and common symptoms in individuals. Daily insufficient calorie intake or unbalanced diet, excessive alcohol consumption or digestive system diseases are risk factors. It is also important to consider that the development and growth of infants and children is slow compared to their peers. As a result of the evaluation made according to these data, it can be decided that individuals should take zinc supplements.
What Diseases Can Zinc Deficiency Cause?
Some diseases may develop in cases such as the body’s daily need for zinc cannot be taken or zinc deficiency cannot be treated. Some diseases accompanying especially severe zinc deficiency are as follows:
• Anemia (anemia)
• Infertility (infertility)
• Some types of cancer, such as ovarian cancer, skin cancer, leukemia, and bowel cancer
• Infectious diseases
• Stroke or heart attack
• Diabetes
• Obesity
• night blindness
How is Zinc Deficiency Treated?
Zinc deficiency; It is an easily treatable condition once diagnosed. However, individuals need to make long-term changes in their eating habits.
Some food groups rich in zinc are as follows:
• Meat varieties such as red meat, poultry and seafood
• Dairy products such as milk, cheese and yogurt
• Legumes such as kidney beans, lentils and chickpeas
• Whole grain product such as quinoa, oats
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• Vegetables such as mushrooms, asparagus
• Nuts
• Egg
Zinc, especially in animal foods, is absorbed very quickly by the body. For this reason, it is recommended that individuals consume animal foods before consuming food groups such as grains that are absorbed more slowly, provided that they do not exceed the daily amount of zinc.
Zinc supplements can also be taken in severe zinc deficiency. It is inconvenient to take these supplements without zinc deficiency. Depending on their content, supplements may interact with antibiotics or diuretics. Therefore, it is necessary to consult a specialist doctor before using these supplements.