What is zinc and how can I check my levels?
Find out why zinc is important for good health, skin, and fertility, and the problems with over-supplementing.
What do suncreams, semen, and trumpets have in common? While each object definitely has their own use, they all share one essential mineral in common – zinc. With roles in our immune system, skin health, and fertility (although not necessarily musical ability), we all need this vital nutrient.
This article explains the importance of zinc, the risks of over-supplementing, and how you can tell if you have a deficiency.
We’ll answer:
- What is zinc?
- What does zinc do in the body?
- What's a normal zinc level?
- What are signs of a zinc deficiency?
- What causes a zinc deficiency?
- How much zinc do I need per day?
- What's a good dietary source of zinc?
- What are the risks of too much zinc?
- Are zinc supplements worth it?
What is zinc?
The body needs a variety of vitamins and minerals to function properly. One of these is zinc, which is a co-factor for many different enzymes and involved in many important bodily processes – even more than the ever-popular magnesium.
Zinc is known as an ‘essential trace mineral’ – our bodies don’t produce or store excess zinc so it must be consumed regularly as part of our diet.
What does zinc do in the body?
Only very small amounts are required in the body. Zinc is involved in the major metabolic pathways concerned with protein, lipid, carbohydrate, and energy metabolism.
Zinc is necessary for:
- A healthy immune system
- Wound healing
- DNA synthesis
- Taste
- Smell
- Cell division and growth
- Sperm production
- Skin, hair, and nail health
Is zinc good for skin health?
Thousands of years ago, ancient civilizations used zinc in skin care to protect from the sun [1]. Today, zinc is also used in mineral suncreams to provide a UV defence. Additionally, many acne creams make use of its anti-inflammatory properties [2].
While zinc is often promoted as a remedy for acne and other skin concerns, the evidence is strongest for correcting a deficiency rather than improving skin that’s already healthy. Your skin renews itself roughly every month, and zinc helps make that happen. It's essential for cell growth, tissue repair, and wound healing, so low zinc levels can show up as slow-healing cuts, dermatitis, or hair loss.
Although zinc is a common ingredient in skincare products and supplements, taking extra zinc isn't a shortcut to clearer skin if your levels are already normal. Unless you have a deficiency or a specific medical condition, there's limited evidence that zinc supplements improve skin health.
There are many other nutrients that can affect your skin though.
These include:
Our Skin Health hub has a collection of articles all about your skin, including what a blood test could reveal about your skin health.
How does zinc help the immune system?
Zinc is involved in the normal development and function of many immune cells, helping your body fight infections and supporting wound healing [3–5]. Even mild zinc deficiency can impair immune function, although deficiency is uncommon in the UK.
While zinc lozenges may slightly shorten the duration of a common cold if started very early, they are not a substitute for a healthy diet and are not recommended for preventing colds in people with normal zinc levels. Consult your GP before starting any supplementation.
Can zinc make you more fertile?
Healthy zinc levels are tied closely with reproductive health. But before you reach for the supplements, it’s important to know that zinc deficiency is quite rare in the UK and high levels can come with risks. It’s always a good idea to check your nutrient levels before starting any supplement plan. When it comes to fertility, more zinc is not necessarily better.
Zinc supports production of testosterone and healthy sperm in men, so low levels may be associated with reduced fertility [6]. In women, zinc supports egg maturation and fertilisation [7].
Fun fact: at the moment of fertilisation, eggs release a burst of zinc known as a ‘zinc spark’. It’s thought this plays a role in early embryo development [8].
What is a normal zinc level?
A normal serum zinc result depends on which laboratory is carrying out the analysis, so always interpret your result alongside the laboratory's reference range.
In general, zinc levels are:
Men (19–64 years): 10.1–20.2 µmol/L
Women (19–64 years): 9.6–20.5 µmol/L
Bear in mind that reference values vary slightly between laboratories.
It's also important to know that zinc is what’s known as a negative acute-phase reactant. This means your levels can fall temporarily during infection or inflammation even when your body's zinc stores are adequate. For this reason, healthcare professionals often interpret zinc results alongside markers such as CRP and albumin.
How much zinc do I need per day?
The NHS recommends 9.5mg of zinc a day for men (aged 19 to 64 years) and 7mg a day for women [9]. You should be able to get all the zinc you need from your daily diet.
What are early signs of a zinc deficiency?
Because zinc is involved in so many reactions in the body, there is no single distinct symptom of a zinc deficiency.
In the UK, zinc deficiency is uncommon for those who eat a balanced diet. But it is common in people who have poor dietary intake, malabsorption or restrictive diets, or gastrointestinal issues.
Symptoms of a zinc deficiency may include:
- Unexplained weight loss
- Wounds that won’t heal
- Diminished smell and taste
- Metallic taste in the mouth
- Cracked/peeling lips
What causes a zinc deficiency?
The main cause of a zinc deficiency is not eating enough zinc-rich foods. There are also some medical conditions including malabsorption conditions such as Chron’s or coeliac, or conditions that affect your kidneys or liver.
What are good dietary sources of zinc?
Zinc is naturally present in some foods, added to others and available as a dietary supplement.
Oysters are best known for being the highest sources of zinc – their filter feeding methods mean they are great at absorbing minerals from their marine environment (they also contain a health bump of copper, selenium, and iron).
Don’t worry if oysters aren’t your thing, a wide variety of other foods contain zinc.
Foods containing zinc include:
- Chickpeas
- Beans
- Wholegrains
- Nuts
- Red meat
- Dairy products
- Fortified cereals
What are the risks associated with too much zinc?
Too much zinc increases the risk of a copper deficiency, as zinc interferes with copper absorption. Because copper is essential for making healthy red blood cells, too little copper can cause anaemia.
Symptoms associated with copper deficiency include:
- Numbness
- Neurological symptoms
- Anaemia
- Changes to white blood cells
Are zinc supplements worth it?
Many different forms of zinc are available as supplements, but there are some risks associated with taking too much zinc.
Common zinc supplements include:
- Zinc sulphate
- Zinc gluconate
- Zinc acetate
- Zinc citrate
Zinc supplements must be used with caution as they can have toxicity and side effects when taken in high doses for a long time.
The Department of Health in the UK advises that intake of zinc should not exceed 25 mg per day [9]. High doses of zinc can also cause digestive and renal problems, so do not take large doses of zinc without first speaking with your doctor.
Zinc is important for many aspects of our health. But it's always a good idea to check your nutrient levels and talk with your healthcare provider before starting any new supplements. You can read more about starting a supplement routine in our blog.
References
- Giachi G, Pallecchi P, Romualdi A, Ribechini E, Lucejko JJ, Colombini MP, et al. Ingredients of a 2,000-y-old medicine revealed by chemical, mineralogical, and botanical investigations. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2013;110: 1193–1196. doi:10.1073/pnas.1216776110
- Gupta M, Mahajan VK, Mehta KS, Chauhan PS. Zinc Therapy in Dermatology: A Review. Dermatol Res Pract. 2014;2014: 709152. doi:10.1155/2014/709152
- Shankar AH, Prasad AS. Zinc and immune function: the biological basis of altered resistance to infection123. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1998;68: 447S-463S. doi:10.1093/ajcn/68.2.447S
- Wessels I, Maywald M, Rink L. Zinc as a Gatekeeper of Immune Function. Nutrients. 2017;9: 1286. doi:10.3390/nu9121286
- Jin D, Wei X, He Y, Zhong L, Lu H, Lan J, et al. The nutritional roles of zinc for immune system and COVID-19 patients. Front Nutr. 2024;11. doi:10.3389/fnut.2024.1385591
- Fallah A, Mohammad-Hasani A, Colagar AH. Zinc is an Essential Element for Male Fertility: A Review of Zn Roles in Men’s Health, Germination, Sperm Quality, and Fertilization. J Reprod Infertil. 2018;19: 69–81.
- Garner TB, Hester JM, Carothers A, Diaz FJ. Role of zinc in female reproduction. Biol Reprod. 2021;104: 976–994. doi:10.1093/biolre/ioab023
- Duncan FE, Que EL, Zhang N, Feinberg EC, O’Halloran TV, Woodruff TK. The zinc spark is an inorganic signature of human egg activation. Sci Rep. 2016;6: 24737. doi:10.1038/srep24737
- Vitamins and minerals - Others. In: nhs.uk [Internet]. 23 Oct 2017 [cited 7 Aug 2026].