A significant zinc deficiency may in particular come with a reduced appetite, altered taste, skin manifestations, hair loss or delayed wound healing. Disturbances of immune function are also described. These signs remain fairly non-specific, however: fatigue, fragile hair or skin problems can have many other causes. Their presence is therefore not enough to establish a zinc deficiency and must be interpreted in its clinical and dietary context.

Symptoms alone cannot diagnose a zinc deficiency with certainty. Plasma or serum zinc is one of the most widely used biological markers, but its interpretation has certain limits. Its concentration can be influenced by inflammation, the time of the blood sample or fasting conditions. Assessing zinc status therefore ideally rests on several elements: diet, risk factors, symptoms, medical context and, where relevant, laboratory analyses interpreted by a healthcare professional.

The risk of insufficient intake or absorption can be higher with a poorly varied diet, digestive absorption disorders or significant digestive losses. Vegetarian or vegan diets do not automatically cause a deficiency, but they do deserve particular attention: wholegrain cereals, seeds and pulses contain phytates that can reduce zinc absorption. EFSA indeed takes the amount of dietary phytates into account when setting nutritional requirements for zinc.

Foods of animal origin, in particular meat, certain seafood, eggs and dairy products, are valuable sources of zinc. Pulses, nuts, seeds and wholegrain cereals can also contribute to intake, especially in a plant-based diet. Their zinc is generally less available, however, in the presence of phytates. Culinary techniques such as soaking, sprouting, fermenting or sourdough baking can reduce the effect of phytates and so improve the bioavailability of plant-based zinc.

A zinc deficiency can indeed come with skin manifestations or alopecia, especially when it is significant. From a nutritional standpoint, it is also established that zinc contributes to the maintenance of normal skin, hair and nails, which corresponds to health claims authorised in the European Union. Falling hair, brittle nails or white spots on the nails do not, on their own, allow you to conclude that zinc is lacking.

Yes. Zinc contributes to normal fertility and reproduction, to the maintenance of normal testosterone levels in the blood and to normal cognitive function. These functions are recognised by the European register of health claims. They do not, however, allow us to state that a lack of zinc alone explains difficulty conceiving, low mood or memory problems. These situations are multifactorial and warrant an overall assessment when symptoms persist.

Zinc Forte provides 22.5 mg of elemental zinc per capsule, or 225% of the reference intake, together with 150 mg of L-cysteine and 6 mg of vitamin B6. In Belgium, 22.5 mg is the maximum amount of zinc authorised per daily portion in this context, and any product exceeding 10 mg must carry a statement indicating that its consumption should be limited to a few weeks or months. Prolonged use therefore warrants the advice of a healthcare professional.