6 Signs You’re Not Getting Enough Zinc And Why You Should!

Last Updated on January 11, 2021

Like all the other nutrients, zinc is essential to a healthy immune system and body functions that involve memory, learning, etc. Your body also needs zinc in order to divide and grow cells, heal wounds and digest carbohydrates which, in turn, provide energy to the body.

Zinc is found in different foods such as eggs, whole grains, dairy, meat, shellfish, nuts, whole grains, vegetables like potatoes, kale, green beans, and dark chocolate.

If you don’t eat your fill of any of these foods, you put yourself at risk of zinc deficiency which then results in a number of health complications.

Without enough zinc in your system, your body also won’t be able to fight off cancerous cells or regulate your immune system, so you can tell now just how important zinc is in preventing tumor progression.

Do you want to know whether you have zinc deficiency? Read this list of 6 signs you’re not getting enough zinc.

Jump right in!

6. Your wounds heal slowly

If your cuts and scrapes heal slower than usual, it might be a sign that you don’t have enough zinc in your system.

Zinc is crucial to the health of your immune system, so it is only natural that you will become more vulnerable to bacterial infections when you have zinc deficiency, hence affecting your body’s ability to heal wounds.

Other causes of slow wound healing include diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis arterial disease, or deficiency in the human growth hormone (HGH).

Before jumping to any conclusions, you must first get checked by a doctor and make sure that the cause behind the slow wound healing or lack thereof is zinc deficiency and not something else completely.

5. Vision problems

Are you experiencing vision problems recently? It could be due to the low concentration of zinc in your body.

Zinc is important to eye health as it helps transport vitamin A to your eye retina and protects it. Deficiency in this nutrient causes poor night vision, cataracts, as well as the loss of eyelashes.

Since zinc helps heal wounds and fight infections, if you happen to suffer from any eye infection it might take longer to heal or cause complications in the long run. Eat your fill of zinc-rich foods to prevent impaired vision and any other eye health problems.

4. Skin problems

Rashes, acne breakout, rough skin, dry skin, and other skin conditions, can be a result of zinc deficiency.

Surely, such skin conditions can be triggered by different causes such as certain makeup products, infections, hormones, some medical drugs like birth control, etc., but if you know that you don’t eat enough foods that contain zinc, your skin problems are probably a result of exactly that.

If you’re suddenly experiencing acne breakout when you have never before, visit a dermatologist to determine the reason.

3. Deteriorating sense of smell/taste

If your food just doesn’t taste good anymore or if you’re unable to smell as sharply as before, it might be caused by different health complications including zinc deficiency.

Zinc stimulates parts of your brain that are responsible for your senses, so it is a given that any deficiency to this element would affect their function.

It is also no wonder that doctors prescribe zinc meds to people who suffer from smell and taste disorders. The recommended amount of zinc you should eat per day is 8 milligrams for women and 11 milligrams for men, so eat what you need.

2. Hearing problems

Lack of zinc does not only affect your vision, smell, and taste but it also harms your hearing.

Tinnitus, the condition in which there is ringing in your ears, is associated with many health problems, including a low concentration of zinc. In fact, over 50 people in the US have chronic tinnitus and among the causes of this condition is the lack of zinc in the body.

1. Nausea & diarrhea

Diarrhea is a very common occurrence in people. However, it turns out that zinc deficiency is also the culprit behind it.

If you experience sudden attacks of diarrhea, it could be because you’re not getting enough zinc.

Nausea is another symptom of zinc deficiency. Ironically, too much zinc can also cause you nausea, so make sure to keep a balanced zinc diet.

Other symptoms of zinc deficiency include memory problems, loss of hair and eyebrows, and, as mentioned earlier, loss of eyelashes. Before anything else, pay a visit to your doctor who may prescribe zinc supplements to treat the deficiency. And don’t forget to eat enough zinc!