What are zinc’s main benefits?

    Last Updated: October 25, 2023

    The potential benefits of supplementation with zinc are largely dependent on the individual’s zinc status. Therefore, supplementation with zinc is unlikely to provide a benefit if zinc levels are already adequate and the person is not zinc deficient.[1] One exception to this rule may be respiratory tract infections and the common cold, conditions in which supplementation with zinc has been shown to reduce the duration of illness.[2][3][4] In children, zinc may help prevent pneumonia.[5][6] However, further high-quality studies are needed to bolster the evidence in this field.

    Supplementation with zinc has been shown to improve depressive symptoms[7][8] and markers of glycemic control and blood lipids, particularly in people with chronic disease.[9][10][11] Supplementation with zinc may also improve severe acne, but higher-quality trials are needed to bolster the current evidence.[12][13]

    References

    1. ^Seet RC, Lee CY, Lim EC, Quek AM, Huang H, Huang SH, Looi WF, Long LH, Halliwell BOral zinc supplementation does not improve oxidative stress or vascular function in patients with type 2 diabetes with normal zinc levelsAtherosclerosis.(2011 Nov)
    2. ^Jennifer Hunter, Susan Arentz, Joshua Goldenberg, Guoyan Yang, Jennifer Beardsley, Stephen P Myers, Dominik Mertz, Stephen LeederZinc for the prevention or treatment of acute viral respiratory tract infections in adults: a rapid systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trialsBMJ Open.(2021 Nov 2)
    3. ^Min Xian Wang, Shwe Sin Win, Junxiong PangZinc Supplementation Reduces Common Cold Duration among Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials with Micronutrients SupplementationAm J Trop Med Hyg.(2020 Jul)
    4. ^Harri HemiläZinc lozenges may shorten the duration of colds: a systematic reviewOpen Respir Med J.(2011)
    5. ^Wang L, Song YEfficacy of zinc given as an adjunct to the treatment of severe pneumonia: A meta-analysis of randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled trials.Clin Respir J.(2018-Mar)
    6. ^Lassi ZS, Moin A, Bhutta ZAZinc supplementation for the prevention of pneumonia in children aged 2 months to 59 months.Cochrane Database Syst Rev.(2016-Dec-04)
    7. ^Somaye Yosaee, Cain C T Clark, Zahra Keshtkaran, Mahkameh Ashourpour, Parisa Keshani, Sepideh SoltaniZinc in depression: From development to treatment: A comparative/ dose response meta-analysis of observational studies and randomized controlled trialsGen Hosp Psychiatry.(Jan-Feb 2022)
    8. ^Sawada T, Yokoi KEffect of zinc supplementation on mood states in young women: a pilot studyEur J Clin Nutr.(2010 Mar)
    9. ^Laura M Pompano, Erick BoyEffects of Dose and Duration of Zinc Interventions on Risk Factors for Type 2 Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-AnalysisAdv Nutr.(2020 Jul 28)
    10. ^Kelishadi R, Hashemipour M, Adeli K, Tavakoli N, Movahedian-Attar A, Shapouri J, Poursafa P, Rouzbahani AEffect of zinc supplementation on markers of insulin resistance, oxidative stress, and inflammation among prepubescent children with metabolic syndromeMetab Syndr Relat Disord.(2010 Dec)
    11. ^Hashemipour M, Kelishadi R, Shapouri J, Sarrafzadegan N, Amini M, Tavakoli N, Movahedian-Attar A, Mirmoghtadaee P, Poursafa PEffect of zinc supplementation on insulin resistance and components of the metabolic syndrome in prepubertal obese childrenHormones (Athens).(2009 Oct-Dec)
    12. ^Brittany E Yee, Phillip Richards, Jennifer Y Sui, Amanda Fleming MarschSerum zinc levels and efficacy of zinc treatment in acne vulgaris: A systematic review and meta-analysisDermatol Ther.(2020 Aug 29)
    13. ^Liu H, Yu H, Xia J, Liu L, Liu GJ, Sang H, Peinemann FTopical azelaic acid, salicylic acid, nicotinamide, sulphur, zinc and fruit acid (alpha-hydroxy acid) for acne.Cochrane Database Syst Rev.(2020-May-01)