Urine zinc

Adults contain about 2 to 2.5 g of zinc. It is a trace element whose total content in the body is second only to iron. The prostate, liver, kidney, and muscle contain about 50% of the body's total zinc, with the prostate being the highest. About 80% of zinc in blood is present in red blood cells, almost all of which are in carbonic anhydrase molecules, about 18% of zinc is distributed in plasma, and white blood cells account for about 3%. About 1/3 of the zinc in the plasma was loosely bound to albumin, and the rest was firmly bound to globulin. Zinc in the body works in at least two ways: one is involved in the formation of binding enzymes. It has been confirmed that there are about one hundred kinds of enzymes that use zinc as a cofactor; the second is that they exist in combination with other substances, especially proteins in biological membranes, to maintain their structure and function. The daily requirement of zinc for the human body is 0.2 mmol, and 10 to 15 mg is ingested from food every day, and most of it is not absorbed and discharged with feces. Plant foods are rich in phytic acid and cellulose, and easily form insoluble chelates with zinc, which affects the absorption of zinc. Usually animal foods are the main source of zinc for humans. Therefore, the dietary structure of high-grain, low-animal foods is one of the important causes of zinc deficiency. Zn: Atomic weight 65.37.

Was this article helpful?

The material in this site is intended to be of general informational use and is not intended to constitute medical advice, probable diagnosis, or recommended treatments.