Symptoms of Zinc Deficiency and How It's Treated

Zinc is an essential mineral that’s naturally found in many foods. Adults and children with certain health conditions or restrictive diets may not get enough zinc from food and might need to take supplements. Skin rashes and frequent colds are common symptoms of zinc deficiency.

This article discusses the symptoms and causes of zinc deficiency. It also covers how it's diagnosed and what you can do to treat it.

Symptoms

Low zinc can cause symptoms but they may not be noticeable right away. The symptoms of a zinc deficiency often do not start until levels have been low for several months.

Here are some of the possible symptoms of zinc deficiency you may experience in different parts of your body:

Skin

• Skin rash (especially around the mouth)
• Delayed wound healing
• Skin ulcers
• Hair loss
  

Immune and respiratory

• Weak immune system (i.e., more likely to get infections)
• Frequent colds
• Worsening asthma symptoms
  

Gastrointestinal

• Diarrhea
• Weight loss
  

Sensory

• Abnormal taste and/or smell
• Vision problems (related to a higher risk of age-related macular degeneration)
  

Cognitive

• Trouble concentrating
• Depression
  

Sexual Health

• Sexual dysfunction
  

Not getting enough zinc in your diet, eating certain foods, having malabsorption problems, or health conditions like liver disease can cause zinc deficiency. Some chronic health conditions like sickle cell disease can also make you more likely to become deficient in zinc.

You could also have another nutritional deficiency along with a zinc deficiency, which could cause additional or different side effects.

Pregnant People, Breastfeeding, and Babies

People who are pregnant or breastfeeding can become deficient in zinc because supporting a growing fetus and/or infant uses up a lot of nutrients. Babies who develop a zinc deficiency can have slowed growth and may have trouble gaining weight.

You may want to talk to your provider about nutritional supplements if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. If you're concerned about your child's nutrition, talk to your pediatrician.

Causes

A zinc deficiency can be caused by not getting enough zinc in your diet. However, even if you eat plenty of zinc-rich foods, there are some risk factors that can lower your zinc levels. Also, some medications and other nutrients can interfere with your body’s absorption of zinc, causing you to become deficient.

Medical conditions that can lead to zinc deficiency include:

• Gastrointestinal conditions (e.g., Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis)
• Alcohol use disorder
• Sickle cell disease
• Diabetes
• Cancer
• Cystic fibrosis
• Kidney disease

Dietary factors that can lead to low zinc include:

• Vegetarian or vegan diet with low zinc
• Iron supplements (can interfere with zinc absorption)
• Babies who are exclusively breastfed (may need zinc supplements)
• Medications (e.g., diuretics, antibiotics, and penicillamine)

How Zinc Deficiency Affects the Body

Zinc is involved in a few different important body functions:

• It is considered an antioxidant that helps protect cells from oxidative damage. 
• It is involved in growth and development during pregnancy, childhood, and adolescence.
• It is beneficial to the immune system and helps with wound healing (zinc deficiency can cause the immune system to be either underactive or overactive).

If you aren't getting enough zinc, your body may have a harder time completing these tasks.

Diagnosis

The symptoms of zinc deficiency are non-specific, so it can be hard to diagnose. Many of the symptoms of a zinc deficiency are also symptoms of other nutritional deficiencies and medical conditions. For example, infections, anemia, and thyroid disease often cause symptoms similar to the ones caused by zinc deficiency.

The diagnosis of zinc deficiency can be hard because it isn't a standard blood test. Your levels, along with your symptoms and diet history, can help your provider figure out if you have low zinc.

Your provider will take a detailed medical history and do a physical examination. You may also need diagnostic tests as part of your evaluation, such as blood tests. 

Blood Tests

A zinc level is not necessarily the first test you would have, and there are other blood tests your provider might want to check first, including:

• A complete blood count (CBC): This test can show your provider if you have an infection or anemia. An infection often causes high white blood cells (WBCs), while anemia can cause a change in red blood cell (RBC) count or size.
• Electrolytes: Your provider may check your electrolyte levels, such as calcium, potassium, sodium, and chloride. These values can show nutritional deficiencies and point to possible conditions that could be causing symptoms.
• Thyroid: Your healthcare provider may want to do thyroid hormone tests to make sure your thyroid is working normally. 
  

If your provider does check your zinc levels, they will look to see if they are within normal range.

• The normal reference range for zinc is 0.60-1.20 mcg/mL for children aged 10 and younger. 
• The normal range for zinc is 0.66-1.10 mcg/mL for children older than 10 and adults.
  

A mild zinc deficiency may not show up on a blood test for zinc levels. You can have a normal blood zinc level even if you have a slight deficiency.

Treatment

You may need to increase your intake of zinc by adding more foods that contain it to your diet. You may also need to take a dietary supplement. Once you start eating more zinc-rich foods and/or taking a supplement, your symptoms will probably get better. 

Here are the daily recommendations for zinc intake by age:

• 0 to 6 months: 2 milligrams (mg)
• 7 to 12 months: 3 mg
• 1 to 3 years: 3 mg
• 4 to 8 years: 5 mg
• 9 to 13 years: 8 mg
• 14 years and older: 11 mg for males and 9 mg for females
  

If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you may need more zinc each day:

• Pregnant people 14-18 years should have 12 mg per day of zinc. Those who are breastfeeding should have 13 mg per day of the mineral.
• Pregnant people 19 years and older should have 11 mg per day of zinc. Those who are breastfeeding should have 12 mg per day of the mineral.

Foods that Contain Zinc

Many foods contain zinc, but oysters have the most zinc per serving: Just one raw oyster (15 g) has 5.9 mg of zinc.

Other foods that contain zinc include:

• Red meat
• Chicken
• Pork
• Seafood (especially crab and lobster)
• Fish (e.g., flounder)
• Beans
• Nuts
• Dairy products (e.g., cheese and yogurt)

Supplements

If you have a health condition that affects your body’s ability to absorb zinc from the food you eat, you may need to take supplements. Your provider will tell you how much zinc you need to take in supplement form and may recommend one to you. 

Taking zinc supplements can affect your copper levels. Your provider might recommend you take a zinc supplement that also has copper in it to help prevent a copper deficiency.

Zinc Toxicity

It is possible to take too much zinc. The symptoms of zinc toxicity include:

• Abdominal cramping
• Diarrhea
• Headaches
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Loss of appetite

Summary

Zinc deficiency can cause symptoms like diarrhea, cold symptoms, rash, vision problems, or weight loss. Your provider may order blood tests to help diagnose a zinc deficiency or rule out other conditions that could cause similar symptoms. 

To fix a zinc deficiency, you can start by eating foods that have zinc like oysters, red meat, nuts, and beans. Your provider might want you to take a zinc supplement to help get your levels up.