Zinc is an essential trace element in human body, which exists in bones, gonads, pituitary, liver and pancreas, participates in the synthesis of protein and insulin, and promotes the activity of sex hormones. Zinc deficiency, thymus atrophy, decreased permeability of thymic factor, decreased T cell function and decreased immune function make the body vulnerable to virus and pathogenic bacteria infection.

The people who should be supplemented with zinc are: vegetarians, because of long-term single vegetarian diet, cause zinc deficiency in their bodies, cause malnutrition, slow development, skin diseases, wounds that are not easy to heal, and taste decline. For premature senility, zinc deficiency accelerates human aging, and zinc can prevent hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, liver disease and premature senility. Malnourished children, children are in the stage of growth and development, and they need a lot of zinc. Children are short of zinc, and they have symptoms such as loss of appetite, decreased taste, fatigue, emaciation, anorexia, and even stomach tinea. When they go to the hospital to test the content of zinc in serum, they can be diagnosed. For those with poor eyesight, zinc has the function of protecting eyesight, which can enhance eyesight at night. In patients with poor immunity, zinc plays an important role in nucleic acid synthesis and can improve immunity. For the elderly with poor taste, zinc deficiency makes them feel worse about bitterness, spicy, sour, sweet and salty. Zinc can participate in taste synthesis, enhance taste bud function, nourish taste and promote appetite.

However, long-term improper and excessive zinc supplementation will cause digestive tract symptoms such as discomfort, nausea and vomiting, which will affect the metabolism of copper and iron ions, which is not conducive to the treatment of iron deficiency anemia and heart disease. It will also affect the absorption of selenium, resulting in various symptoms of vitamin E deficiency, such as insanity, anemia, rash, edema, etc., and even zinc poisoning.

The daily zinc requirements of normal people are: 3 mg for less than 6 months, 5 mg for 6-12 months, 1 mg for 1-12 years old, 15 mg for 13 years old to adults, 2 mg for pregnant women and 25 mg for wet nurses. The best way to supplement zinc is to eat more foods with high zinc content. For example, clam oil contains the most zinc, with 174.5 micrograms of zinc per 1 grams of clam oil. Others include fish and shrimp, oysters, lean meat, beef, mutton, liver, eggs, milk, cocoa, soybean products, walnuts, peanuts, cherries, almonds, apples and tea.