Zinc — Immune Mineral Status
Zinc is a mineral the immune system needs. Serum zinc is the usual status measure, with limits. How to read your result against the lab's range.
Serum or plasma zinc is the measure most often used to assess zinc status — a mineral the immune system needs — though, per the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, it shifts with age, sex and time of day and does not always track intake.
The biomarker
- Name: Serum Zinc
- Units: µg/dL
- Standard reference range: 80–120 µg/dL typical in healthy people, per ODS (ranges vary by lab)
How to read your result
| Value | Interpretation |
|---|---|
| Below 70 µg/dL (women) / 74 µg/dL (men) | Per the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, indicates inadequate zinc status — review with a clinician. |
| 80–120 µg/dL | The range typically seen in healthy people, per ODS. |
| Reading any result | Serum zinc is affected by age, sex and time of day, and does not always track how much zinc you eat. |
What moves the needle
- Diet. Food sources include oysters, crab, lobster, beef, pork, poultry, beans, nuts, whole grains and dairy.
- Plant foods. Beans and grains contain phytates that reduce how much zinc the body absorbs.
- Copper. High zinc intakes can interfere with copper absorption, and excessive zinc supplement use can lead to copper deficiency — do not start zinc supplements without a clinician.
Why this test is worth asking for
- Zinc is needed for the immune system to work properly, and for wound healing and the senses of taste and smell.
- Per ODS, vegetarians and vegans, and people who have had gastrointestinal surgery or have digestive disorders such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease, may not get enough zinc.
- Serum or plasma zinc is the measure most often used to assess zinc status, with the limits noted above.
Related protocols
- TSH, Free T3 and T4 — Thyroid Panel
- Testosterone, Total and Free (Men)
- SHBG — Sex Hormone Binding Globulin
Sources
- NIH ODS — Zinc (health professional fact sheet)
- NIH ODS — Zinc (consumer fact sheet)
- MedlinePlus Encyclopedia — Zinc in diet
AgeGen lab guides are educational only. We do not provide medical diagnosis, prescribe brands, or recommend specific doses. Talk to a licensed clinician before changing your supplement or medication routine.
