Zinc deficiency

By Ann Katrin Sauer, Simone Hagmeyer, A. Grabrucker. Archives of Disease in Childhood, 2000

606 citations recorded by the source corpus.

Zinc is an essential trace element for humans and plays a critical role both as a structural component of proteins and as a cofactor in about 300 enzymes. Zinc deficiency was, for example, reported to affect the immune response and the endocrine system and to induce and modify brain disorders. Besides hereditary zinc deficiency, zinc deficiency – at least in mild forms – is nowadays a very abundant health issue. Today, an estimated 20% of the population worldwide is at risk of developing zinc deficiency with a high number also in industrialized countries. The major risk factors to develop zinc deficiency in industrialized nations are aging and pregnancy. Mechanistic and behavioral studies on the effects of zinc deficiency have mainly been performed using animal models. However, in combination with the few studies on human subjects, a picture emerges that shows importance of adequate nutritional zinc supply for many processes in the body. Especially the immune system and brain development and function seem to be highly sensitive to zinc deficiency. Here, we provide an overview on the effects of zinc deficiency on different organ systems, biological processes, and the associations of zinc deficiency with pathologies observed in humans and animal models.

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/700e23a74e1513d3a8016b4fd32ebe3a2f694d36

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Citations in the corpus

Zinc in Infection and Inflammation (2017, background): “While severe zinc deficiency is rare, mild to moderate deficiency is more common worldwide [15,16].”
A Review of Micronutrients and the Immune System–Working in Harmony to Reduce the Risk of Infection (2020, background): “Zinc • Impaired DTH skin responses [8,131,132] • Impaired survival, proliferation and maturation of monocytes, NK cells, T and B cells [133] • Impaired NK cell activity [8] • Impaired phagocytosis by macrophages and neutrophils [8] • Altered cytokine production, contributing to greater oxidative str”
The Physiological, Biochemical, and Molecular Roles of Zinc Transporters in Zinc Homeostasis and Metabolism. (2015, background): “Zinc deficiency still remains a substantial global public health problem (147, 330, 357).”
Effect of zinc and manganese supply on the activities of superoxide dismutase and carbonic anhydrase in Medicago truncatula wild type and raz mutant plants (2005, background): “A decrease in leaf CA activity in plants grown under Zn deficient conditions has been previously described in tomato [27], citrus [28], spinach [29], and wheat [11], although little is known about CA activities in plants grown at high Zn concentrations.”
Cyanobacterial inoculation elicits plant defense response and enhanced Zn mobilization in maize hybrids (2015, background): “Deficiency of Zn leads to impaired growth and development, depression and psychosis besides affecting the immune system (Solomons, 2003).”
Potential interventions for novel coronavirus in China: A systematic review (2020, unknown): “Zinc deficiency results in dysfunction of both humoral and cell‐mediated immunity and increases susceptibility to infectious diseases.(42) Zinc supplement given to zinc‐deficient children could reduce measles‐related morbidity and mortality caused by lower respiratory tract infections.”
Nutritional Laboratory Markers in Malnutrition (2019, background): “Zinc deficiency has been associated with impaired taste and smell, reduced immunity and increased risk of pneumonia [57].”