Zinc benefits: what does zinc do for your body?

Zinc supports your immune system, bones, skin, hair, nails and more. Patsy Westcott explains what this essential mineral does, what happens if you are deficient, and how to keep your levels topped up.

🕒 8 min read

What is zinc good for? Zinc contributes to normal immune function, cognitive function, fertility and reproduction, and the maintenance of normal bones, skin, hair, nails and vision. It also helps the body make proteins and process nutrients, which is why its benefits reach far beyond immunity.²

What is zinc?

Zinc is a trace element needed in small amounts for health. It is the second-most abundant trace mineral in the body after iron, and much of it is found in our muscles and bones. Thousands of human proteins are thought to bind zinc, helping explain its wide-ranging roles.¹

Zinc is vital for everything from helping our body process the three big nutrients – carbohydrate, fat and protein – to helping cells communicate, aiding chemical reactions and supporting the structure of cells.¹

Although zinc is present throughout the body, there is no large, readily available reserve to draw on when intake is low. We need a regular supply from food.⁴

Zinc benefits by body system

These are established nutritional roles for zinc. Getting enough supports normal function; taking more than you need does not automatically provide additional benefits.²

Why do we need zinc?

Immunity

Zinc supports the development and function of immune cells and contributes to normal immune function. It also plays a role in wound healing. Low zinc status can impair the immune response and delay wound healing.⁴

Everyday nutritional support and using zinc to treat a cold are different questions. We look at the cold research later in this guide.

Bones

Zinc aids bone growth and helps bones stay strong through its role in bone formation and turnover. It contributes to the maintenance of normal bones alongside other nutrients, including calcium and vitamin D.²

Research has explored links between zinc status, bone density and healing, but this does not establish an ordinary zinc supplement as a treatment for fractures or osteoporosis. Looking after your zinc intake is one part of bone health.⁵

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• 15mg elemental zinc per tablet
• 80mg vitamin C and 1mg copper
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Brain

The mineral helps orchestrate processes involved in the formation, maturation and function of cells of the brain and nervous system, as well as helping brain cells communicate. Zinc contributes to normal cognitive function; research into its role in neurological conditions is a separate area of study.¹

Fertility

Zinc contributes to normal fertility and reproduction in both men and women. It is also involved in maintaining normal testosterone levels in the blood. This is about supporting normal function, rather than boosting testosterone or guaranteeing conception.²

In men, zinc is involved in sperm development and function; in women, it plays a role in egg development and the processes around fertilisation. Adequate intake matters, but fertility has many influences.¹

Growth and development

The mineral is needed for growth and development during pregnancy, childhood and adolescence. Zinc helps support protein synthesis, which is vital for building and repairing tissues, and aids the cell division integral to growth.⁴

Deficiency can affect growth and development. Children and pregnant women need advice appropriate to their age or circumstances rather than simply following the dose on an adult supplement.

Skin, hair and nails

Zinc helps keep the skin healthy and supports normal skin, hair and nails. It is involved in cell division, protein synthesis and wound healing. Deficiency can be associated with skin changes and hair loss, but these symptoms have many possible causes.²

Zinc supports normal skin, hair and nails. Persistent skin problems or hair loss may need assessment to identify the cause.

Protection against oxidative stress

Zinc helps protect cells from oxidative stress, including damage associated with harmful free radicals. This is one of the mineral’s normal nutritional roles, alongside its work in enzymes and cell structures.²

Metabolic health

Zinc helps our bodies process carbohydrate, fat and protein. It contributes to normal macronutrient metabolism and is involved in normal carbohydrate metabolism. These everyday processes help us make use of the food we eat.²

Studies have explored zinc status and supplementation in metabolic conditions. Those findings should not be treated as a promise that zinc tablets prevent diabetes or replace treatment.

Eye health

The mineral aids communication between cells in the eye and helps regulate how our eyes process light. It also interacts with vitamin A, which is needed for healthy vision. Zinc contributes to normal vitamin A metabolism and the maintenance of normal vision.²

For certain stages of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), an eye specialist may recommend an AREDS2 combination containing zinc and other nutrients. That is a specific formulation for specific patients, rather than evidence that a general zinc tablet prevents AMD.⁶

What can cause zinc deficiency?

Low intake, reduced absorption and increased losses can all affect zinc status. Possible reasons include:

• Inadequate intake: not eating enough zinc-containing foods.
• Reduced availability from food: phytates in foods such as pulses and wholegrains can reduce zinc absorption. These foods still have an important place in a balanced diet.
• Poor absorption: digestive conditions such as Crohn’s or coeliac disease, or some types of bowel surgery.
• Excess alcohol: heavy alcohol use can affect intake and absorption.
• Increased needs or losses: pregnancy, breastfeeding or conditions involving persistent diarrhoea can affect requirements or zinc balance.
• Medicines: some medicines affect zinc status or interact with supplements. A pharmacist can advise on timing and suitability.

Symptoms such as hair loss, skin changes, a poor appetite or slow wound healing are not specific enough to diagnose deficiency yourself. If you are concerned, a clinician can assess your diet, symptoms and whether testing is appropriate.⁴

Sources of zinc

Eating a varied, zinc-rich diet can help ensure you get your zinc quota. Food sources include:

• Beef and other meat
• Shellfish, especially oysters
• Cheese and other dairy foods
• Pulses such as lentils and kidney beans
• Nuts and seeds
• Bread and wholegrain cereals
• Sardines
• Tofu and suitable meat alternatives

If you eat a plant-based diet, include several zinc sources across the day. Soaking pulses and using fermented or leavened foods can help reduce the effect of phytates on zinc availability.⁴

How much zinc do we need?

The NHS lists about 9.5mg daily for men aged 19–64 and 7mg for women. These figures refer to total dietary intake, rather than a dose that everyone needs to take as a supplement.³

Supplement labels use a separate nutrient reference value (NRV) of 10mg. This helps you compare products; it is not a personalised requirement. Check the elemental zinc amount per daily serving, rather than the weight of the zinc compound.

Could a zinc supplement help?

If your diet falls short, a supplement may help you meet your needs. Consider your usual food choices, any conditions affecting absorption and the zinc already present in other supplements.

Women

Women need zinc for the same core functions as men, including normal immunity, fertility, skin, hair and nails. Pregnancy and breastfeeding change nutritional needs, so seek advice about an appropriate supplement rather than assuming a higher dose is better.

Vegans

A vegan diet can provide zinc, but planning matters because plant sources often contain phytates. Pulses, tofu, nuts, seeds and wholegrains all contribute. A vegan-labelled zinc supplement offers a measured option when you choose to complement your diet.⁷

Older people

Difficulty chewing, a limited diet and medicine interactions can make it harder to meet nutritional needs as we get older. Checking food intake and choosing a manageable supplement routine can help address a shortfall. A supplement is most useful when it meets an identified need.⁴

For everyday use, Zinc Complex supplies 15mg zinc with vitamin C and copper. Compare it with the other options in our zinc supplement range.

Safety matters: can you take too much zinc?

Too much zinc can cause nausea, stomach discomfort, diarrhoea or vomiting. High intakes can also interfere with copper absorption. Follow the product directions and include zinc from multivitamins, tablets and lozenges when checking your total.⁴

NHS advice is not to take more than 25mg of zinc supplements daily unless advised by a doctor. This is advice about supplements, rather than a total-intake limit covering food as well. Ask a pharmacist about medicine interactions, particularly with some antibiotics or penicillamine.³

Does zinc help colds?

A 2024 Cochrane review of 34 studies involving 8,526 participants concluded that zinc may shorten an existing cold. In the studies reporting cold duration, symptoms lasted about two days less on average, but confidence in that finding was low. Zinc made little or no difference to preventing colds and caused more non-serious side effects when used for treatment.⁸

Lozenges and daily zinc tablets are different formats, and the trial results do not establish that every product has the same effect. Read our guide to zinc lozenges and colds for a closer look at the evidence and practical use.

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Peppermint-flavoured zinc acetate lozenges that dissolve slowly in the mouth.

• 10mg ionic zinc per lozenge
• Zinc acetate formulation
• Peppermint flavour with menthol

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Check the lozenge directions and your total intake before use. Seek a doctor’s advice before exceeding 25mg of supplemental zinc daily; do not increase your dose simply to copy a research study.³

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