Zinc Deficiency Signs & Symptoms.

Experiencing a zinc deficiency isn’t a big problem if you’re generally well nourished. However, those with a comprised digestive system are far more at risk than the average person, due to potential absorption issues. 

Zinc is an important nutrient that plays many vital roles in your body. You don’t need loads of zinc, but you do need some and you need to obtain it from your diet and supplements, because the body doesn’t produce it.

Zinc is vital for –

• Immune health – including fighting infections and healing wounds. If you’re low in zinc, you’ll be more vulnerable to infection and disease.
• DNA repair
• Vision, particularly age-related macular degeneration
• Taste and smell
• Growth
• Gut health
• Conception – If you’re trying to conceive then ensuring your zinc levels are optimal is extremely important.
• Thyroid health
• Stress resilience and mood – through the regulation of the stress hormone, cortisol

There are two groups of people who are more prone to deficiencies – they are those suffering with GI complaints, and those who mainly eat a plant-based diet, so strict vegetarians and vegans.

You need optimal gut health to ensure not only that your zinc is absorbed properly throughout the small intestine, but that you’re producing enough stomach acid to ensure it’s broken down and absorbed properly.

Adequate levels are also necessary for the production of stomach acid.

If you’ve got digestive problems then you could be at risk of impairing your absorption of zinc.

If you’re worried your diet is impacting your gut health, I’d highly recommend downloading my online course The Ultimate Gut Health Programme to help support both your digestive sysem and hormone health, whilst avoiding triggering symptoms.

It’d be impossible to include all you need to know in one blog, but the programme will have all you need to know to ensure you’re soothing your digestive system, whilst eating delicious and filling foods.

Signs and symptoms of a zinc deficiency include:

• Diarrhoea, as mentioned
• Vision problems, including age-related macular degeneration
• Mouth ulcers, skin ulcers and acne
• Loss of taste or smell
• Poor appetite
• Depressed mood
• Decreased immunity
• Delayed wound healing
• Histamine intolerance

Although many plant-based foods contain plenty of zinc, it’s trickier for us to absorb it due to the high concentration of phytic acid they contain. Phytic acid is an anti-nutrient which binds to minerals and prevents absorption by us. Hence the problems vegetarians and vegans will have. However, all is not lost as if you take a good quality vitamin and mineral supplement it should contain adequate levels of zinc – you ideally want between 10-15mg per day.