What is the role of zinc in the body?

Dariush Mozaffarian, MD

Internal Medicine

Found in cells throughout the body, zinc helps your immune system fight off bacteria and viruses, which explains why it's been investigated as a potential treatment for the common cold. Your body relies on zinc for wound healing as well your ability to taste and smell.

Dr. Michael Roizen, MD

Internal Medicine

Zinc is linked to antioxidant activity and immune system response. Zinc is also vital to the synthesis of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) and RNA (ribonucleic acid) and is therefore important for cell division. Several zinc trials in infertile couples have improved deficient sperm count and sperm function. In fact, increasing zinc levels to a normal level increased the pregnancy rate in those studies.

Continue Learning about Minerals

Been feeling like a wet dishrag lately? Could be you're low on magnesium. Magnesium is a multitasking mineral, and one of its jobs is to power up our...

Dole Nutrition Institute

Phosphorus and a number of other minerals, such as magnesium, potassium and zinc, have critical role...

Dariush Mozaffarian, MD

The amount of selenium in foods varies widely, as it depends on the selenium content of the soil whe...

Important: This content reflects information from various individuals and organizations and may offer alternative or opposing points of view. It should not be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. As always, you should consult with your healthcare provider about your specific health needs.

Minerals

Our bodies need some inorganic substances like iron, calcium and chromium for proper health. If you're not getting enough of a particular mineral, there are a wide array of mineral supplements available. Often it is not as easy to take in or absorb minerals by themselves, so look for recommendations about taking supplements with a meal or seeing how supplements are frequently combined -- like calcium with vitamin D.

Learn More