hi all
i know this is "out of the blue", please bare with me as i'm trying to figure out different herbs, and supplements etc. my question is what is "zinc used for"?

I don't use zinc only because when I was pregnant with my first child I was going to be REALLLY good and take all my supplements: Zinc caused a rash and itchy skin for me but that's just me!

Here's some quotes from a site I use:

Zinc: What is it?
Zinc is an essential mineral that is found in almost every cell. It stimulates the activity of approximately 100 enzymes, which are substances that promote biochemical reactions in your body (1,2). Zinc supports a healthy immune system (3,4), is needed for wound healing (5), helps maintain your sense of taste and smell (6), and is needed for DNA synthesis (2). Zinc also supports normal growth and development during pregnancy, childhood, and adolescence (7, 8).


What foods provide zinc?
Zinc is found in a wide variety of foods (2). Oysters contain more zinc per serving than any other food, but red meat and poultry provide the majority of zinc in the American diet. Other good food sources include beans, nuts, certain seafood, whole grains, fortified breakfast cereals, and dairy products (2,9). Zinc absorption is greater from a diet high in animal protein than a diet rich in plant proteins (2). Phytates, which are found in whole grain breads, cereals, legumes and other products, can decrease zinc absorption (2, 10, 11).(Refer to Table 1: Selected Food Sources of Zinc lists a variety of dietary sources of zinc.)

Table 1: Recommended Dietary Allowances for Zinc for
Infants over 7 months, Children, and Adults

Age Infants and Children Males Females Pregnancy Lactation
7 months to 3 years 3 mg
4 to 8 years 5 mg
9 to 13 years 8 mg
14 to 18 years 11 mg 9 mg 13 mg 14 mg
19+ 11 mg 8 mg 11 mg 12 mg
Results of two national surveys, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III 1988-91) (12) and the Continuing Survey of Food Intakes of Individuals (1994 CSFII) (13) indicated that most infants, children, and adults consume recommended amounts of zinc.

Who may need extra zinc?
There is no single laboratory test that adequately measures zinc nutritional status (2,20). Medical doctors who suspect a zinc deficiency will consider risk factors such as inadequate caloric intake, alcoholism, digestive diseases, and symptoms such as impaired growth in infants and children when determining a need for zinc supplementation (2). Vegetarians may need as much as 50% more zinc than non-vegetarians because of the lower absorption of zinc from plant foods, so it is very important for vegetarians to include good sources of zinc in their diet

Zinc, infections, and wound healing
The immune system is adversely affected by even moderate degrees of zinc deficiency. Severe zinc deficiency depresses immune function (27). Zinc is required for the development and activation of T-lymphocytes, a kind of white blood cell that helps fight infection (2, 28). When zinc supplements are given to individuals with low zinc levels, the numbers of T-cell lymphocytes circulating in the blood increase and the ability of lymphocytes to fight infection improves. Studies show that poor, malnourished children in India, Africa, South America, and Southeast Asia experience shorter courses of infectious diarrhea after taking zinc supplements (29). Amounts of zinc provided in these studies ranged from 4 mg a day up to 40 mg per day and were provided in a variety of forms (zinc acetate, zinc gluconate, or zinc sulfate) (29). Zinc supplements are often given to help heal skin ulcers or bed sores (30), but they do not increase rates of wound healing when zinc levels are normal.

hi DD
thank you so much for your reply and all the info.this is of great help, once again thank's!
keep the faith, bless you.......mj