How does a zinc deficiency disrupt sleep?
Neil Goffart
Neil Goffart
It is often said that the nutrients in our diet are essential for sleeping well. The link between sleep and zinc has been the subject of very little research. How do they act on one another? Does a zinc deficiency increase the risk of disrupted sleep of short duration? That is what we will help you discover throughout this article.
You might think that sleep is a trivial notion, yet defining it is not so straightforward. The sleep period actually refers to the interval between two periods of waking (so far, so logical), when our state of consciousness is at its least active. It is a form of extreme rest, during which the whole body is in standby mode: the muscles, the brain and therefore alertness, and even the senses are partly asleep.
Why sleep? According to INSERM [1], 13% of people aged 25 to 45 feel they are losing time by sleeping. Yet the role of sleep is not limited to closing off a day and lazing in bed. Above all, it recharges the batteries of the body, physical and mental, so that it can start a new cycle of activity each day. By slowing the pace of the metabolism, it quite simply conserves the energy needed to live.
Quality sleep goes through a succession of cycles of about two hours:
During these sleep phases, body temperature drops, slowing the digestive system as well as the neurotransmitters responsible for our nerve impulses.
Without restorative sleep, we weaken our immune defences. Fortunately, we can act on this thanks to several nutrients, such as zinc.
Zinc is a trace element present in the body in the form of a mineral, whose role is essential in more than 200 enzymatic reactions in the body, such as DNA synthesis and bone growth. Above all, it is involved in the metabolism of energy-yielding nutrients: carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Among its many positive effects on the body:
So if you show a disturbance in one of these areas, perhaps you have a zinc deficiency ?
Zinc levels are higher in foods of animal origin such as cheese, milk, meat, fish and eggs, but there are also plant sources of zinc: fresh vegetables and pulses, nuts and wholegrain cereals.
Although it occurs naturally in our diet, zinc food supplements are available in tablet form, to give the body the level it needs. As it is mainly present in trace amounts, the quantity in the body being around 3 grams, zinc supplementation is popular and often recommended to vegetarians and athletes, who are fond of ZMB (zinc, magnesium and vitamin B6).
Magnesium, iron and vitamins, but also zinc, are nutrients that help regulate the metabolism. Since it is during sleep that the brain regenerates, that is when zinc is called on most. As a result, a lack of zinc can have repercussions on sleep quality.
Although there is very little research into the link between zinc and sleep, some studies highlight a relationship between zinc intake, blood zinc levels and sleep quality. Across a whole population, individuals with a zinc deficiency showed short sleep.
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
There is currently not enough data to recommend taking zinc specifically in the evening in order to improve sleep. The available studies use widely varying protocols, doses and forms of zinc. For Zinc Forte, the usage advice is simply to take one capsule a day with a glass of water with meals, without imposing any particular time of day. The choice of morning or evening should therefore not be presented as decisive for sleep.
ZMA-type combinations, bringing together zinc, magnesium and vitamin B6, have been studied, but the results do not allow a systematic effect on sleep to be concluded. A randomised trial published in 2024 in 16 trained men subjected to two nights of sleep restriction observed no benefit of ZMA on sleep. In addition, when a formula combines several nutrients, it is difficult to attribute any result to zinc alone.
Zinc is found in particular in oysters and other seafood, meat, fish, eggs and certain dairy products. Pulses, seeds, nuts and wholegrain cereals are also plant sources. In the latter, however, the presence of phytates can reduce the bioavailability of zinc. A varied diet is therefore the first approach to covering your needs. A food supplement may be considered when intake is insufficient, but it does not replace a varied and balanced diet.
Zinc Forte must not be presented as a supplement intended to improve sleep or treat insomnia. One capsule provides 22.5 mg of elemental zinc, 150 mg of L-cysteine and 6 mg of vitamin B6. Zinc benefits from several authorised European claims, in particular for the normal function of the immune system, cognitive function, protein synthesis and the protection of cells from oxidative stress, but no authorised claim relates directly to sleep.
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