Many people choose to take a supplement, although it is never recommended to take more than a doctor recommends. In fact, high levels of zinc may lead to copper deficiency.

The NHS says zinc helps make new cells and enzymes, process carbohydrates, fats and proteins in food, and heal wounds. Taking high doses of zinc reduces the amount of copper that the body can absorb. This can lead to anemia and weak bones.

The Mayo Clinic says zinc is a nutrient found throughout your body, helping your immune system and metabolic function. And 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 the common cold, but it can reduce the effectiveness of some medications and cause side effects.

And when zinc is taken orally for a long time and in high doses it can cause copper deficiency. “People with low copper levels may have neurological problems, such as numbness and weakness in the arms and legs,” she says.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) considers 40 mg of zinc per day to be the upper limit of dose for adults and 4 mg of zinc per day for infants under six months of age.

Oral zinc supplements may benefit people with low zinc levels, the National Institutes of Health says. If zinc is taken soon after cold symptoms appear, it may also shorten the duration of a cold. However, no You use zinc inside the nose, which has been linked to a loss of smell. The recommended daily amount of zinc is 8 milligrams (mg) for women and 11 mg for adult men.”

The National Institutes of Health’s Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) says zinc deficiency is characterized by loss of appetite and impaired immune function.

Weight loss, delayed wound healing, taste abnormalities, and mental lethargy can also occur.