Zinc
Zinc is an essential mineral involved in immune function, neurotransmission, and NMDA-receptor modulation. Deficiency can impair mood, immunity, and taste, and zinc has modest evidence as an adjunct in depression and for shortening colds. In replete people, benefits are limited, and excessive intake can impair copper absorption and immune function.
Too little may be associated with
Deficiency: low mood, poor immunity, taste loss.
Too much may be associated with
Excess impairs copper absorption.
Informational only β not medical advice.
Benefits
Essential for immune function, wound healing, taste, and hundreds of enzymes; lozenges may shorten colds and it corrects deficiency.
Risks
Excess impairs copper absorption (causing anemia and neuropathy) and can cause nausea; intranasal zinc has caused permanent loss of smell. Stay within upper limits.
Informational only β not medical advice.
Body systems
Organs
Hormones
Neurotransmitters
Related
Where to buy
Popular Zinc products on Amazon. Not medical advice β talk to a clinician before starting a supplement.
As an Amazon Associate, Neurotransmission earns from qualifying purchases.
Research (18)
- Exposure of Selected Sunscreens to Artificial Sunlight Generates Persistent Free Radicals Vejerano et al. (2025) PubMed β
- [Nutrition in improving sleep quality and fighting insomnia] Ortega et al. (2025) Full text β PubMed β
- ACG Clinical Guideline: Malnutrition and Nutritional Recommendations in Liver Disease Singal et al. (2025) PubMed β
- Development and antibacterial evaluation of a dopamine-modified curcumin@zinc-based organic framework Qin et al. (2025) Full text β PubMed β
- Schizophrenia-Like Deficits and Impaired Glutamate/Gamma-aminobutyric acid Homeostasis in Zfp804a Conditional Knockout Mice Ma et al. (2024) Full text β PubMed β
- Nutrition, Obesity, and Seborrheic Dermatitis: Systematic Review Patel et al. (2024) PubMed β
- Safety and Effectiveness of Oral Nutraceuticals for Treating Acne: A Systematic Review Shields et al. (2023) PubMed β
- Pharmacological interventions for pruritus in adult palliative care patients Boehlke et al. (2023) Full text β PubMed β
- Clinician guidelines for the treatment of psychiatric disorders with nutraceuticals and phytoceuticals: The World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry (WFSBP) and Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments (CANMAT) Taskforce Sarris et al. (2022) PubMed β
- Toxicological assessment of cadmium-containing quantum dots in developing zebrafish: Physiological performance and neurobehavioral responses Zonouzi-Marand et al. (2022) Full text β PubMed β
- Neonatal Hypoglycemia and Brain Vulnerability De et al. (2021) Full text β PubMed β
- The contribution of environmental exposure to the etiology of autism spectrum disorder BΓΆlte et al. (2019) Full text β PubMed β
- In vitro cultures of Bacopa monnieri and an analysis of selected groups of biologically active metabolites in their biomass MuszyΕska et al. (2016) Full text β PubMed β
- Relationship between Zinc (Zn (2+) ) and Glutamate Receptors in the Processes Underlying Neurodegeneration Pochwat et al. (2015) Full text β PubMed β
- Zinc signaling through glucocorticoid and glutamate signaling in stressful circumstances Takeda et al. (2010) Full text β PubMed β
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