Zinc is an essential mineral that is in almost every cell of your body. It promotes biochemical reactions by stimulating the activity of about 100 enzymes.

Zinc supports a healthy immune system, it’s needed for wound healing, it helps with your sense of taste and smell, and it’s needed for DNA synthesis. Zinc also has a supporting role in normal growth and development during:

• pregnancy
• childhood
• adolescence

Oysters are the best source of zinc per serving, but red meat and poultry provide the majority of zinc in our American diet. Other good sources are:

• nuts
• beans
• whole grains
• dairy products
• certain seafood
• fortified breakfast cereals

The immune system is adversely affected by a zinc deficiency. Diarrhea results in a loss of zinc and a deficiency is consider with:

• alcoholism
• digestive diseases
• inadequate caloric intake

And symptoms of impaired growth in infants and children.

Vegetarians may need to increase their intake of zinc due to the lower absorption of zinc from plant foods.

Currently the effect of zinc treatments on the severity or duration of common cold symptoms is controversial.

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