Zinc status
Catalytic and structural zinc cofactor
Also searched as Catalytic and structural zinc cofactor.
It is not only an enzyme cofactor — zinc fingers are among the commonest DNA-binding motifs, so zinc status reaches gene expression directly. There is NO storage pool: intake must be continuous, and high-dose zinc induces metallothionein which then traps copper, causing a secondary deficiency.
In depth
Catalytic and structural cofactor for hundreds of enzymes and for zinc-finger transcription factors.
What drives it
Micronutrient status increases it.
Dietary zinc. Carried by the intermediary-metabolism, micronutrient and redox reviews. doi 10.3390/nu18132141 · PMC9967593
Metal-binding protein increases it.
Metallothionein is the principal intracellular zinc reservoir, donating zinc to apo-metalloproteins on thiol oxidation. PMID 10092590 · PMC10210066
What it drives
It increases Superoxide dismutase.
10.3390/antiox9121172 — The other SOD1 metal. Carried by the intermediary-metabolism, micronutrient and redox reviews. doi 10.3390/antiox9121172 · PMC9967593
It increases Immune balance.
Required for lymphocyte development and function. Carried by the intermediary-metabolism, micronutrient and redox reviews. doi 10.3390/nu18132141 · PMC9967593
It increases Resists infection.
Zinc supplementation reduces common cold duration in the trial set. Carried by the intermediary-metabolism, micronutrient and redox reviews. doi 10.3390/nu18132141 · PMC9967593
It increases Wound healing.
Required for the proliferative phase. Carried by the intermediary-metabolism, micronutrient and redox reviews. doi 10.3390/nu18132141 · PMC9967593
It increases Testosterone.
Weaker evidence - deficiency lowers testosterone; repletion in replete men does not raise it. Carried by the intermediary-metabolism, micronutrient and redox reviews. doi 10.3390/nu18132141 · PMC9967593
It increases DNA methylation.
Zinc fingers are among the commonest DNA-binding motifs, so zinc status reaches gene expression directly. Carried by the intermediary-metabolism, micronutrient and redox reviews. doi 10.3390/nu18132141 · PMC9967593
It reduces Copper status.
High-dose zinc induces metallothionein which traps copper - the commonest cause of copper deficiency in practice is prolonged zinc supplementation. Carried by the intermediary-metabolism, micronutrient and redox reviews. doi 10.3390/nu18132141 · PMC9967593
It increases Metal-binding protein.
Zinc binds the transcription factor MTF-1, which drives metal-response-element-dependent metallothionein transcription. doi 10.3390/life13010067
Blends that modulate it
Each blend page names this pathway and carries the study behind its claim.
See it on the map
Open the causal map to follow this pathway upstream and downstream, arrow by arrow, each with its study.