Nutrition Tips

When you think about zinc, it’s easy to focus on how this essential mineral plays a crucial role in many bodily functions, including immune function, protein synthesis, and wound healing. You may not know that zinc is also a critical mineral to consume in adequate quantities for athletes, especially since it is not stored in the body and must be consumed daily. There are many vital areas of zinc's influence on athletes, including the following:

Immune Function

Several studies in athletes show low dietary intake or low zinc status, which could be problematic since athletes are often at an increased risk of infection due to the physical and psychological stress of training (1, 2). Zinc plays an important role in supporting immune function due to its role in the normal development and function of cells mediating innate immunity, including neutrophils, B cells, and T cells (3).

Muscle Strength and Endurance

Zinc is critical to protein synthesis, which impacts athletes due to their need to build and repair muscle tissue. In addition, low zinc levels are associated with lower testosterone, thyroid hormones, and IGF-1, a key hormone promoting muscle growth and metabolism (4,5).

Faster Recovery

Athletes who experience injuries or muscle damage or are recovering from surgery require adequate zinc status due to its role in wound healing (6). Cell division and metabolism also depend on your body having enough zinc, which aids in tissue repair post-exercise (7).

Signs and Symptoms of Zinc Deficiency

Inadequate zinc levels can impair athletes' energy levels due to their essential role in metabolising carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Other symptoms of zinc deficiency include poor appetite, diarrhoea, hair loss, eye and skin lesions, delayed wound healing, poor immune function and growth delays (8).

Are you at Risk?

Athletes with a lower calorie intake, such as female athletes, vegetarian or vegan athletes or those attempting to lose weight or body fat by restricting calories, can be at a greater risk of zinc deficiency. Athletes with weight or body composition requirements, such as wrestlers, gymnasts, rowers or other sports where weight or aesthetics may impact competition, may consume fewer overall calories, which may limit zinc-containing foods. In addition, vegetarian and vegan athletes consuming high carbohydrate, low fat, lower protein diets are more likely to fall short of the recommended zinc level. Finally, vegetarian sources of zinc, such as whole grains and legumes, also contain phytates, which can limit zinc absorption.

Best Dietary Sources of Zinc

Many foods are considered good or excellent sources (20% or more of the Recommended Daily Value) of zinc. The best food sources of zinc include meat, fish and seafood. Oysters are among the highest sources at almost 500 percent of the Daily Value for zinc. Red meat is an excellent source of highly bioavailable zinc, containing 20 percent or more of the daily value. Other good sources (10-19 per cent of the RDA) of zinc in the diet include shrimp, poultry, fortified breakfast cereals, pumpkin seeds and oatmeal.

Daily Zinc Needs

To ensure you meet your zinc requirements, men over 19 should aim to consume 11mg per day and women 19 should aim for 8mg per day. If, as a female, you are pregnant or nursing, you should aim for 11-12mg per day. For reference, 3oz. of roasted beef loin provides 3.8mg, while 3oz. Of turkey breast contains 1.5mg. If you are a vegetarian or vegan athlete, you may require additional zinc to reach adequate levels due to reduced absorption from plant-based sources. In addition, preparation methods such as soaking beans, grains, and seeds in water for several hours before cooking them can improve zinc availability and subsequent absorption (9).

With time and attention to this vital mineral, you can meet your needs with various foods to stay strong and healthy as an athlete. Are you looking for more food ideas? Below is an excellent example of an appropriate diet with adequate zinc for a 130-lb. female athlete at 2,400 calories per day to maintain weight.

Sample Athlete Meal Day:

Breakfast

• 4oz. Plain Greek Yogurt
• 2 Tbsp. Hemp seeds
• 1/4 cup strawberries
• ¼ cup blueberries
• 1 slice whole-grain toast with ½ an avocado
• 1 cup fortified orange juice

A.M. Snack

• 1 medium apple sliced
• 1 oz. almonds
• 1 cup low-fat milk

Lunch: Burrito Bowl

• 1 cup brown rice
• 1.5 cups mixed green salad
• 3 oz. grilled chicken
• 1/2 cup black beans (soaked if possible)
• ½ cup roasted tomato, ¼ cup onion, ½ cup bell pepper

P.M. Snack

• ¼ cup grapes
• 1 oz. cashews
• ¼ cup hummus
• 2 oz. whole wheat crackers

Dinner

• 3 oz. roast beef
• 1 cup asparagus
• 1 cup mashed sweet potatoes made with 1 Tbsp. olive oil and a pinch of salt

References

1. Giolo De Carvalho, F., Rosa, F. T., Marques Miguel Suen, V., Freitas, E. C., Padovan, G. J., & Marchini, J. S. (2012). Evidence of zinc deficiency in competitive swimmers. Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.), 28(11-12), 1127–1131. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nut.2012.02.012
2. Valtonen, M., Grönroos, W., Luoto, R., Waris, M., Uhari, M., Heinonen, O. J., & Ruuskanen, O. (2021). Increased risk of respiratory viral infections in elite athletes: A controlled study. PloS one, 16(5), e0250907. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0250907
3. Roohani, N., Hurrell, R., Kelishadi, R., & Schulin, R. (2013). Zinc and its importance for human health: An integrative review. Journal of research in medical sciences : the official journal of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, 18(2), 144–157.
4. Brun, J. F., Dieu-Cambrezy, C., Charpiat, A., Fons, C., Fedou, C., Micallef, J. P., Fussellier, M., Bardet, L., & Orsetti, A. (1995). Serum zinc in highly trained adolescent gymnasts. Biological trace element research, 47(1-3), 273–278. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02790127
5. Krotkiewski, M., Gudmundsson, M., Backström, P., & Mandroukas, K. (1982). Zinc and muscle strength and endurance. Acta physiologica Scandinavica, 116(3), 309–311. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1748-1716.1982.tb07146.x
6. Momen-Heravi, M., Barahimi, E., Razzaghi, R., Bahmani, F., Gilasi, H. R., & Asemi, Z. (2017). The effects of zinc supplementation on wound healing and metabolic status in patients with diabetic foot ulcer: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Wound repair and regeneration : official publication of the Wound Healing Society [and] the European Tissue Repair Society, 25(3), 512–520. https://doi.org/10.1111/wrr.12537
7. MacDonald R. S. (2000). The role of zinc in growth and cell proliferation. The Journal of nutrition, 130(5S Suppl), 1500S–8S. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/130.5.1500S
8. Gupta, S., Brazier, A. K. M., & Lowe, N. M. (2020). Zinc deficiency in low- and middle-income countries: prevalence and approaches for mitigation. Journal of human nutrition and dietetics: the official journal of the British Dietetic Association, 33(5), 624–643. https://doi.org/10.1111/jhn.12791

Agnoli, C., Baroni, L., Bertini, I., Ciappellano, S., Fabbri, A., Papa, M., Pellegrini, N., Sbarbati, R., Scarino, M. L., Siani, V., & Sieri, S. (2017). Position paper on vegetarian diets from the working group of the Italian Society of Human Nutrition. Nutrition, metabolism, and cardiovascular diseases : NMCD, 27(12), 1037–1052.