What happens to the body if there is an excess of zinc?

The article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Nguyen Thi My - Department of Medical Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec International General Hospital Da Nang.

Zinc is one of the important micronutrients for the human body. During each stage of development, the body needs to be provided with different levels of zinc. Therefore, in the case of excess zinc will have effects on the body and cause related diseases.

Zinc is one of the indispensable micronutrients for the human body and plays a role in the biochemical processes taking place inside our body. Specifically, zinc helps balance blood sugar levels to prevent sugar spikes. In addition, zinc also slows down the body's metabolic rate to avoid the effects on the division and synthesis of DNA molecules.
One of the important functions of zinc is to strengthen the body's resistance to resist diseases from outside influences into the body. Zinc also contributes to wound healing, fertility, cell growth, and bone health. In addition, zinc is also a micronutrient to perform the function of smell, taste and create the feeling of appetite.
It can be said that in the human body, zinc has a close relationship with cadmium which is a toxic heavy metal. When zinc levels are too low, the body is vulnerable to cadmium exposure.
Foods that are high in zinc include oysters, herring and red meats. Additionally, zinc is found in pumpkin seeds, lentils and spinach. To be able to get all the zinc from food into the digestive system, we need to chew foods that contain zinc thoroughly. In addition, zinc supplements are also very easily absorbed in the mouth. According to health experts, the amount of zinc needed to supplement the normal human body is about 40 mg per day for the body to develop and not suffer from zinc deficiency or zinc excess in adults.

To know how much zinc is needed per day, we need to find out the necessary zinc content for each age as follows:
Children under 6 months old: 2 mg zinc/day Children 7-12 months old: 3 mg zinc / 1 day Children from 4 to 8 years old: 5mg zinc / 1 day Men 9-13 years old: 8 mg zinc / 1 day Men over 14 years old: 11 mg zinc / 1 day Women over 19 years old: 8 mg zinc / 1 day Pregnant women: 11-12 mg zinc/ 1 day Lactating women: 11-12 mg zinc/ day Because each age and each need different zinc use of each subject in At different stages of development as above, we need to understand and provide the right amount of zinc for the body to avoid zinc deficiency or zinc excess.

If we add an excess of zinc in our daily diets, it will not lead to zinc toxicity. But if we take too many multivitamins or use household appliances that contain zinc, it can make it easier to have an excess of zinc.
When an excess of zinc occurs, the body will have the following manifestations:
2.1 Nausea When an excess of zinc is added, it will lead to nausea, vomiting, and belching many times. It is known that in cold medicine contains 225 mg of zinc, so when using this medicine to prevent colds, it will cause nausea immediately. According to studies in the world, for every 47 people who take 15 mg of zinc a day, half of them will have nausea and vomiting several times a day.
Vomiting will help us reduce excess zinc, but it also leaves serious complications, so patients need to go to a medical facility for timely treatment.
2.2 Abdominal pain and diarrhea When suffering from zinc excess, people often experience digestive system problems such as abdominal pain, diarrhea or even constipation as a result of this phenomenon. Household items such as adhesives, cleaning chemicals contain zinc chloride, so if you get zinc poisoning from these causes with zinc content greater than 20%, you will experience the above digestive problems.
2.3 Frequent bitter taste This is the most obvious manifestation of zinc excess. This is also the cause of loss of appetite, loss of taste or loss of appetite.
2.4 Flu-like symptoms Taking a lot of zinc during the day can cause symptoms like fever, chills, cough, headache. But these symptoms are also potential for other mineral poisoning and need to be differentiated from them.

2.5 Low HDL cholesterol The good cholesterol for the body is HDL with the task of reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and preventing atherosclerosis, with an amount greater than 40mg/dL. When we add 50mgr of zinc a day, it will lower HDL levels and increase bad cholesterol, LDL, as a result, will increase the likelihood of cardiovascular diseases.
2.6 Copper deficiency According to research, copper competes with zinc to be absorbed into the small intestine of humans. When we use 40mg of zinc a day, copper will not be absorbed into the small intestine. Therefore, the body will lack copper and cause diseases related to intracellular anemia and neutropenia.
2.7 Vulnerability to Diseases Excess of zinc will create disturbances in the immune response in our body. These disorders occur because an excess of zinc will impair the function of T cells, affect the immune responses and eventually the body will be at risk of invading diseases.

Vitamins and minerals play a very important role in the development of children. Children who are in good health, are breastfed and eat enough will not have vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
When babies are born prematurely, have twins, grow up too fast, eat inadequately, are not breastfed, have malabsorption disorders, have prolonged diarrhea, have liver disease, etc., they will be deficient in vitamins and minerals. , including zinc deficiency. Therefore, children who lack these vitamins will suffer from eye diseases, respiratory and digestive infections (vitamin A), edema and neuritis (vitamin B1), bleeding under the skin (vitamin C), and children with vitamin C deficiency. Zinc will suffer from some skin diseases.
When supplementing with vitamins and minerals in excess, it will lead to poisoning, increase intracranial pressure, affect bone development, slow growth, neurological disorders, teratogens... In which, if children have excess Excess zinc will cause anorexia, vomiting and digestive disorders, hindering iron absorption.
Therefore, it is extremely important to take vitamin and mineral supplements, including zinc, along with learning about zinc supplements for babies, so as not to lead to zinc deficiency or excess zinc: Need to follow the prescription for vitamin supplements and minerals prescribed by a doctor. Use of vitamins and minerals in multivitamin or multimineral form must distinguish the formula for children under 1 year old and under 4 years old. Vitamin and mineral supplements should be given to children in the form of a solution for easy drinking and absorption. Do not use vitamins and minerals to replace meals, but must have a reasonable nutritional balance. Excess zinc can cause unpleasant symptoms in the body and affect other biochemical cycles in the body. Therefore, a reasonable zinc supplement, suitable for each age group and different subjects is extremely important and should be followed as prescribed by the doctor.
Master. American doctor has more than 6 years of experience as an internal medicine doctor at Hue Central Hospital, Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital; Tam Tri Da Nang Hospital; Danang Hospital. Currently, he is a General Internal Medicine Doctor at Vinmec Da Nang International General Hospital.