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Zinc and skin health: an overview

  • Chapter
Handbook of diet, nutrition and the skin

Part of the book series: Human Health Handbooks no. 1 ((HHH,volume 2))

Abstract

Zinc is a micronutrient that plays an integral part in the normal functioning of the human body. Recent studies have elucidated the intricate physiology of zinc homeostasis. It has been shown to have immunomodulatory, anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory roles. However, the application of this new understanding of zinc homeostasis to chronic inflammatory, infectious and auto-immune dermatological conditions is lacking. Evidence based support to the value of using oral zinc supplementation in various diseases is limited. Literature searches showed a paucity of prospective randomized controlled trials. Most literature on the use of zinc in dermatological conditions is largely anecdotal, based on small case series, or individual case reports. Diseases clearly linked to defective zinc absorption or nutritional deficiencies such as acrodermatitis enteropathica and other acquired zinc deficiency states respond rapidly to oral zinc supplementation. As a consequence, oral zinc supplementation remains a first line agent for these conditions. On the other hand, for most other conditions linked to mild to moderate deficiencies of zinc, its use remains limited as a second line agent or as a last measure in certain patients in whom conventional treatment has failed. Further research and adequate double blinded randomized control trials are needed in future. These should evaluate the efficacy of treatment with oral zinc in patients as compared to conventional treatments and would help to reveal the clinical value of using zinc supplementation.

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Abbreviations

AE:

Acrodermatitis enteropathica

ALP:

Alkaline phosphatase

BD:

Behçets disease

DNA:

Deoxyribonucleic acid

DRI:

Dietary reference intake

ENL:

Erythema nodosum leprosum

IFN:

Interferon

IL:

Interleukin

MTF-1:

Metal response element factor 1

NAE:

Necrolytic acral erythema

OCMI:

Oral clinical manifestation index

RDA:

Recommended daily allowance

RNA:

Ribonucleic acid

SLC:

Solute linked carrier

ZIP:

Zrt-Irt-like protein

ZnT:

Zinc transporter

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Section of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago, 5841 South Maryland Avenue, MC 6092, 60637, Chicago, IL, USA

    H. K. Bangash & A. Sethi

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  1. H. K. Bangash
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  2. A. Sethi
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Correspondence to H. K. Bangash .

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Victor R. Preedy

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© 2012 Wageningen Academic Publishers

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Bangash, H.K., Sethi, A. (2012). Zinc and skin health: an overview. In: Preedy, V.R. (eds) Handbook of diet, nutrition and the skin. Human Health Handbooks no. 1, vol 2. Wageningen Academic Publishers. https://doi.org/10.3920/978-90-8686-729-5_11

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