Zinc’s role in the body:

• Essential for tissue growth
• Numerous enzymes require zinc for activity (e.g. enzymes involved in producing DNA genetic material)
• Plays role in structure and function of cell membranes
• Quickens wound healing; may improve healing rate for gastric ulcers
• Boosts immune system
• Required to maintain taste, smell
• Slows progress of macular degeneration, an eye disorder which leads to blindness
• Essential in the production of sperm

Recommended Daily Allowance
Breast-fed infants	3 mg
Bottle-fed infants	6 mg
1-7 years	6 mg
8-11 years	9 mg
12+ years	12 mg
Pregnant women	16 mg
Lactating women	18 mg

Toxicity: Low dose supplementation of 15-50 mg appears safe. Larger doses (over 100 mg) may cause side-effects of nausea, headache, and lowering of  “good” HDL-cholesterol. 

Deficiency: More common in elderly people, vegetarians, athletes, dieters. Symptoms include retarded growth, poor appetite, loss/change of taste and smell, mental lethargy, slow wound healing, being prone to infections, excessive hair loss, reduced sperm count and ejaculatory fluids, reduced libido.

Excess fiber can also decrease zinc absorption.

If you do take zinc supplements, be aware that excess zinc can create a copper deficiency, as well as have a negative impact on chromium absorption.

Good food sources: Lean meat, liver, eggs, seafood, brewer's yeast, legumes, whole grains, wheat germ are all good sources of zinc.

Food source

Zinc content

Oysters, 6 medium, 1 oz  Beef steak, grilled, 4 oz Lamb, cooked, 4 oz Scallops, 10 medium, 2.8 oz Hamburger w/bun, 6 oz Lobster/crayfish, 2.8 oz Pork, leg, baked, 2 slices, 3 oz Cashew nuts, 1/4 cup, 1.4 oz  Rice, brown, cooked, 1 cup  Peanuts, 1/4 cup, 1.4 oz  Salmon/Tuna, canned, 1/2 cup, 3.5 oz Milk (whole/skim), 1 cup  Cheese, cheddar, 1 oz Sunflower seeds, 1 Tbsp, 0.5 oz  Fish, cooked, 1 fillet, 4.2 oz  Peanut Butter, 1 Tbsp  Peas, green, 1/2 cup  Egg, 1 large

19 mg  6 mg  5 mg  5 mg  3.5 mg  3 mg  2.2 mg  2 mg  1.5 mg  1.2 mg  1 mg   1 mg   1 mg  1 mg  0.7 mg  0.7 mg  0.6 mg  0.5 mg