Overview

Zinc, a nutrient found throughout your body, helps your immune system and metabolism function. Zinc is also important to wound healing and your sense of taste and smell.

With a varied diet, your body usually gets enough zinc. Food sources of zinc include chicken, red meat and fortified breakfast cereals.

People use oral zinc to help treat colds, but it can decrease the effectiveness of certain drugs and cause side effects.

The recommended daily amount of zinc is 8 milligrams (mg) for women and 11 mg for adult men.