When the investigators considered intakes from both food and dietary supplements, they found that 20 % — 25 % of older adults still had
inadequate zinc intakes [21].
When zinc deficiency does occur, it is usually due to
inadequate zinc intake or absorption, increased losses of zinc from the body, or increased requirements for zinc [26,27,34].
Inadequate zinc intake causes immune dysfunction impairing its abilities to respond and prevent viral replication and inhibit infection.
Not exact matches
From all the values analyzed we can conclude that average micronutrient consumption exceeds 80 % of the reference dietary
intakes, except in the case of
zinc, iron in women of childbearing age, vitamin A, vitamin D and folic acid, in which
inadequate intake can be observed.
Clinicians consider risk factors (such as
inadequate caloric
intake, alcoholism, and digestive diseases) and symptoms of
zinc deficiency (such as impaired growth in infants and children) when determining the need for
zinc supplementation [2].
Inadequate intake of important vitamins and minerals that help with energy metabolism (B vitamins), antioxidant activity (vitamin E), and immune function (
zinc).