Zinc for Macrophage Function
Zinc deficiency cripples macrophage phagocytosis and immune cell development; repletion restores function, but excess (>40 mg/day) is itself immunosuppressive.
Overview
Verdict
How It Works
Dosing & Protocol
Typical dose
- Recommended dose
- 15–30 mg/day if intake is low; food sources (oysters, meat, legumes) preferred.
- Expected timeframe
- Not established
Protocol
- form
- Zinc gluconate, sulfate or picolinate with food
- duration
- 8-12 weeks for deficiency correction
- co factor
- Take with food, separated from iron and from tetracycline or quinolone antibiotics by two hours. Evidence is mixed. Zinc influences macrophage phagocytosis, oxidative burst, cytokine production and NF-kB signalling, and zinc deficiency impairs phagocytic capacity and intracellular killing in both animal and human studies - macrophages also use zinc sequestration and zinc toxicity as antimicrobial strategies against intracellular pathogens. Supplementation restores these functions where deficiency exists. No trial has shown that improving macrophage function in replete people produces any clinical benefit, and excess zinc impairs phagocytosis.
- titration
- Do not exceed the tolerable upper intake level of 40 mg/day - excess zinc impairs phagocyte function
- starting dose
- Not a target in itself. Requirements are 8 mg/day for women and 11 mg/day for men; deficiency correction uses 15-30 mg/day of elemental zinc
Evidence
What the studies say
Zinc supplementation and innate immune cell function in older adults: a randomized controlled trial
Barnett JB, Dao MC, Hamer DH +3 more
Zinc raised serum zinc and increased T-cell numbers in deficient older adults
Safety
Caveats
Do not exceed 40 mg/day chronically. Take with food to avoid nausea. Balance with copper if long-term high-dose.
Less likely to help if
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