The significance of micronutrients in health and nutrition is inevitable. Zinc is an essential element that is important to health. Deficiency of zinc might play a critical role in diseases. Zinc is one of the most significant trace elements in the organism, with three chief biological roles, as catalyst, structural, and regulatory ion.

Zinc-binding motifs are found in several proteins that are encoded by the human genome physiologically, and free zinc is mostly regulated at the single-cell level. Zinc has an important effect in homeostasis, in oxidative stress, in immune function, in apoptosis, significant disorders of great public health interest and in aging. All these are associated with zinc deficiency.

In several chronic diseases, which includes atherosclerosis, a number of malignancies, autoimmune diseases, neurological disorders, age-related degenerative diseases, aging, and Wilsons disease, coexisting zinc deficiency can complicate the clinical features, adversely affect the immunological status, increase oxidative stress, and can lead to the production of inflammatory cytokines. In these diseases, chronic inflammation and oxidative stress might play an important causative role. Therefore, it is important that the status of zinc is evaluated in every case and zinc deficiency to be corrected, as the unique properties of zinc might have significant therapeutic benefits in these ailments.

Source: Chasapis CT, Loutsidou AC, Spiliopoulou CA, Stefanidou ME. Zinc and human health: an update. Arch Toxicol. 2012; 86(4):521-534. doi:10.1007/s00204-011-0775-1