| Zinc deficiency | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Zinc | |
| Symptoms | Diarrhea, hair loss, sexual dysfunction, night blindness, skin rash, increased risk of infections, weight loss, poor healing, abnormal taste, mental slowness[1][2] |
| Complications | Poor growth[2] |
| Causes | Low dietary intake, poor absorption, increased loss, increased use[1] |
| Risk factors | Inflammatory bowel disease, short bowel syndrome, liver or kidney problems, vegetarians, alcoholism, other long term diseases[1] |
| Diagnostic method | Based on symptoms and risk factors[1] |
| Treatment | Zinc supplementation[2] |
| Frequency | 2 billion people[3] |
Zinc deficiency is a mineral deficiency due to not enough zinc to meet the bodies needs.[4] Symptoms may include diarrhea, hair loss, sexual dysfunction, night blindness, skin rash, increased risk of infections, weight loss, poor healing, abnormal taste, and mental slowness.[1][2] In children it may result in poor growth.[2] During pregnancy it may result in birth defects or low birth weight.[2]
The most common cause is reduced dietary intake.[5] Other causes may include poor absorption, increased loss, or increased use.[1] Risk factors may include inflammatory bowel disease, short bowel syndrome, liver or kidney problems, vegetarians, alcoholism, and other long term diseases.[1] It may also occur as a result of a genetic condition known as acrodermatitis enteropathica.[3] Diagnosis is often based on symptoms and risk factors as blood zinc levels are not that accurate.[1]
Dietary sounds include meat, beans, and nuts.[5] The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) in the USA is 8 mg/day for women and 11 mg/day for men.[1] Treatment is by zinc supplementation at a dose of 1 to 3 mg/kg elemental zinc per day.[2] Improvement generally occurs within days to weeks.[5]
Zinc deficiency affect about 2 billion people worldwide.[3] It most commonly affects children in the developing world, and old people in the developed world.[3][6] It is uncommon in North America.[1] It is estimated to be involved in nearly half a million deaths in children under 5 a year.[3]
References edit
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Office of Dietary Supplements - Zinc". ods.od.nih.gov. Archived from the original on 7 September 2020. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Zinc Deficiency - Nutritional Disorders". Merck Manuals Professional Edition. Archived from the original on 9 February 2022. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
- ^ a b c d e "Zinc". Linus Pauling Institute. 23 April 2014. Archived from the original on 1 February 2022. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
- ^ "ICD-11 for Mortality and Morbidity Statistics". icd.who.int. Archived from the original on 1 August 2018. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
- ^ a b c Maxfield, Luke; Shukla, Samarth; Crane, Jonathan S. (2022). "Zinc Deficiency". StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing. Archived from the original on 11 January 2021. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
- ^ Evans, Colby; High, Whitney (15 December 2011). Skin Diseases in the Elderly: A Color Handbook. CRC Press. p. 119. ISBN 978-1-84076-615-8. Archived from the original on 10 February 2022. Retrieved 10 February 2022.