Zinc Benefits: What Does Zinc Do for the Body?

What Is Zinc and Why Is It Important?

Zinc is an essential trace element, meaning you have to acquire it through your diet. It's the second most abundant trace mineral in the body, after iron. Unlike iron, though, it can't be stored, so you have to consume it regularly.¹

Zinc plays a role in hundreds of processes across the body, serving as both a structural component and a signaling molecule.²

Despite its importance, zinc intake often falls short of recommended levels (8 mg/day for women, 11 mg/day for men).^3,4 Shortages are especially common in older adults.⁵ Vegetarians and vegans also face reduced zinc bioavailability because many plant foods contain phytates that bind zinc molecules. Those on strict plant-based diets may require additional zinc intake to compensate. While a well-rounded diet of whole foods is the best way to acquire essential nutrients, one of the is that it's a convenient way to help fill any gaps.

Key Health Benefits of Zinc

Zinc is critical to fundamental biological processes, including DNA replication, RNA transcription, protein synthesis, and new cell creation (mitosis).¹ Because of this, zinc is essential to tissues with rapid cellular turnover, such as the skin, the immune system, and protective barriers like the gut lining.⁸

Zinc supports a wide range of normal functions.

• It forms part of the antioxidant SOD, protecting cells against oxidative stress.⁹
• It supports the function of gustin, a protein crucial to taste buds.¹⁰
• It supports the conversion of vitamin A into a form the eye can use and also helps produce melanin, a pigment that protects retinal cells.^11,12
• Zinc also acts as a metabolic signal, helping your body break down carbs for energy, build proteins into muscle, and burn fats efficiently.

Zinc and Immune Support

One of the main pros of zinc is its support of immune function. It does this first as a signaling molecule. When specialized immune receptors detect an invader, the cells release a burst of zinc ions that signals other immune cells to activate, multiply, and coordinate immune responses.¹⁴ Secondly, zinc acts as a structural component, helping stabilize immune cells and protecting them from oxidative stress.¹⁵

Research has shown that zinc supplementation may support immune function during seasonal challenges.¹⁶

Zinc for Skin Health

By supporting skin cell turnover, zinc helps maintain skin health.^8,17 As an essential cofactor (helper molecule) for collagen production, it can also support skin firmness and elasticity.¹⁸ As part of the powerful antioxidant SOD, it also helps protect your skin from UV exposure and environmental stress.¹⁹ Zinc plays a role in supporting skin health and recovery.²⁰

How to Incorporate Zinc Supplements into Your Diet

The best way to get more zinc is to focus on eating zinc-dense foods like oysters, beef, blue crab, pork chops, lentils, pumpkin seeds, and fortified breakfast cereals.¹ Of course, it's not always easy to consistently hit the recommended daily intake of every nutrient. That's where supplementation can help fill gaps.

Not all zinc supplements are the same, however. Zinc supplement benefits depend on the form of the zinc. For example, zinc citrate and zinc gluconate have much better absorption than zinc oxide, which is sometimes found in supplements.²¹ Different forms can also have unique benefits. Zinc carnosine, for instance, is particularly formulated to support gut barrier integrity.²² To get the most benefit from taking zinc supplements, be sure to choose one that's backed by research and is carefully formulated for absorption and effectiveness.

How AG1 Supports Your Daily Zinc Intake

AG1 Next Gen provides 20 mg of zinc citrate—formulated for superior absorption—along with over 75 other vitamins, minerals, and whole-food-sourced ingredients. For those looking for even more zinc support, AG1 Pro includes an additional 75 mg of zinc carnosine to support gut barrier integrity.* Learn more about AG1 today.

References:

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2. Jeng SS, Chen YH. Association of Zinc with... Nutrients. 2022;14(22):4918. Published 2022 Nov 20. doi:10.3390/nu14224918
3. Rock N, Clynes M, Horgan K, Murphy R, O'Sullivan F, Keenan J. The Antagonistic Influence of Phytic Acid on Zinc Absorption: An In Vitro Comparison of Inorganic and Chelated Trace Mineral Sources. Nutrients. 2025;18(1):46. Published 2025 Dec 22. doi:10.3390/nu18010046
4. Devarshi PP, Mao Q, Grant RW, Hazels Mitmesser S. Comparative Absorption and Bioavailability of Various Chemical Forms of Zinc in Humans: A Narrative Review. Nutrients. 2024;16(24):4269. Published 2024 Dec 11. doi:10.3390/nu16244269
5. Vural Z, Avery A, Kalogiros DI, Coneyworth LJ, Welham SJM. Trace Mineral Intake… in Older Adults Living in the Community and Institutions: A Systematic Review. Nutrients. 2020;12(4):1072. Published 2020 Apr 13. doi:10.3390/nu12041072
6. Maywald M, Rink L. Zinc in Human Health and Infectious Diseases. Biomolecules. 2022;12(12):1748. Published 2022 Nov 24. doi:10.3390/biom12121748
7. Foster M, Samman S. Vegetarian diets across the lifecycle: impact on zinc intake and status. In: Henry J, ed. Advances in Food and Nutrition Research. Vol 74. Academic Press; 2015:93-131. doi:10.1016/bs.afnr.2014.11.003
8. Ogawa Y, Kawamura T, Shimada S. Zinc and skin biology. Arch Biochem Biophys. 2016;611:113-119. doi:10.1016/j.abb.2016.06.003
9. Zheng M, Liu Y, Zhang G, Yang Z, Xu W, Chen Q. The Applications and Mechanisms of Superoxide Dismutase in Medicine, Food, and Cosmetics. Antioxidants. 2023; 12(9):1675. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox12091675
10. Padiglia A, Zonza A, Atzori E, Chillotti C, Calò C, Tepper BJ, Barbarossa IT. Sensitivity to 6-n-propylthiouracil is associated with gustin (carbonic anhydrase VI) gene polymorphism, salivary zinc, and body mass index in humans. Am J Clin Nutr. 2010;92(3):539-545. doi:10.3945/ajcn.2010.29418
11. Nolan J, Gilbert R, Peto T, Lengyel I, Emri E. Zinc Nutrition… in the Aging Retina. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2019;63:1801049. https://doi.org/10.1002/mnfr.201801049