Zinc is one of the most important essential nutrients and is of great importance for public health. The effects of zinc on human health is involved in many biological functions, and due to its capacity to bind to more than 300 enzymes and over 2000 transcription factors, zinc appears to be a multipurpose trace element necessary for health and well-being.

Its role in biochemical pathways and cellular functions, such as the response to oxidative stress, homeostasis, immune response, DNA replication, DNA damage repair, cell cycle progression, apoptosis, and aging, is significant. Zinc is an anti-inflammatory agent, and its biochemistry is involved in epigenetic processes, gut microbial composition, and medicinal targets. Zinc is required for protein and collagen synthesis and therefore contributes to wound healing and healthy skin. Metallothioneins are metal-binding proteins that are potent scavengers of heavy metals, including zinc, and protect the organism against stress.

Zinc has a therapeutic effect on several chronic diseases in humans, such as atherosclerosis, several malignancies, autoimmune diseases, Alzheimer’s diseases and other neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, diabetes, depression, aging, and Wilson’s disease.

In recent years, experimental evidence has shown that zinc deficiency affects many organ systems and is the cause of many health problems, so it is important to correct zinc deficiency. Therefore, zinc supplementation is potentially beneficial for managing the nutritional status as well as providing management of these diseases, in which zinc may be used as an adjunctive therapy.

Chasapis, C. T., Ntoupa, P. S. A., Spiliopoulou, C. A., & Stefanidou, M. E. (2020). Recent aspects of the effects of zinc on human health. Archives of toxicology, 94, 1443-1460. [Link]