Zinc and Immunity

Zinc is an essential mineral that is naturally present in some foods, added to others, and available as a dietary supplement. Its nutritional importance has been known for a long time, but since the relationship between zinc deficiency and immune dysfunction was discovered about 50 years ago, it has been widely investigated (1). The role of zinc in immune function, its effects on immune cells, and the underlying molecular mechanisms have been described (2,3), including its importance as a signaling molecule (4,5), meaning the ability of cells to communicate with each other, receive, process and transmit signals to its environment.

Because zinc deficiency is closely linked to insufficient dietary intake or impaired resorption, elderly people, vegetarians/vegans, and patients with some chronic diseases, are particularly affected (6,7).

Consequently, the benefits of zinc supplementation for a malfunctioning immune system become clear, and it has been shown that zinc supplementation can either restore or even improve immune function (8) and is currently been used as a therapeutic treatment. Studies by Maggini et al. have also shown that vitamin C plus zinc was significantly more efficient than placebo at reducing rhinorrhoea over 5 days of treatment. In view of the burden associated with the common cold, supplementation with vitamin C plus zinc may represent an efficacious measure, with a good safety profile, against infectious and viral diseases (9).