Zinc is naturally present in the environment: rocks, soil, water and air have always naturally contained variable concentrations of it. During the course of their evolution, all living organisms have used the zinc available in their environment for specific functions of their metabolism. So, zinc is an essential element, which is necessary and indispensable for all living organisms in all ecosystems.
There is an optimal zinc concentration range for each living organism. Within this concentration range, living organisms can regulate their internal concentration in order to meet the requirements of their metabolism.
If these optimal conditions are not met and there is a deficit, zinc deficiency can result.
Zinc is an important metal element for humankind as it ranks 3rd, after magnesium and iron.
Zinc plays essential roles in health. It is essential for growth, brain development, skin protection, the proper functioning of the immune system, digestion, reproduction, taste, smell and many other natural processes.
The human body is unable to synthesise the zinc it needs. It therefore draws zinc from its food. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends a daily zinc intake of 10 mg/day for children, 12 mg/day for women and 15 mg/day for men. Certain population groups have a higher requirement for zinc and are therefore more at risk of zinc deficiency: children and adolescents, pregnant women, elderly people, etc.
The symptoms related to the risk of deficiency are essentially: a reduction in the senses of taste and smell, skin problems, mental lethargy and a reduction in fertility.
