zinc and acute respiratory tract infections

Last edited 11/2021 and last reviewed 01/2022

Zinc is an essential metal being involved in a variety of biological processes due to its function as a cofactor, signaling molecule, and structural element (1)

  • is involved in the regulation of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, as well as the functioning of the reproductive, cardiovascular, and nervous system
  • regulates proliferation, differentiation, maturation, and functioning of leukocytes and lymphocytes
  • plays a signaling role involved in the modulation of inflammatory responses
  • also a component of nutritional immunity (2)
    • alteration of zinc status significantly affects immune response resulting in increased susceptibility to inflammatory and infectious diseases including acquired immune deficiency syndrome, measles, malaria, tuberculosis, and pneumonia (1)
    • data demonstrate that zinc status is associated with the prevalence of respiratory tract infections in children and adults (2)
    • also thought that zinc has the potential to support COVID-19 therapy due to its immunomodulatory roles and direct antiviral effects (2)
      • study evidence showed that infected patients had significantly lower zinc concentrations than potentially non-infected participants (2)

In adult populations unlikely to be zinc deficient, there was some evidence suggesting zinc might prevent RTIs (respiratory tract infections) symptoms and shorten duration (3)

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zinc