Zinc deficiency symptoms in women: what’s supported by evidence and what isn’t
ca. 20 Minuten
The essentials
The German Nutrition Society lists skin eczema, diarrhea, impaired wound healing, problems with perception and memory, and increased susceptibility to infectious diseases as signs of zinc deficiency (2025). Brittle nails and white spots aren’t on the list, even though they’re mentioned almost everywhere as signs.
The reference value for women isn’t a fixed number, but depends on diet: 7, 8, or 10 milligrams a day, depending on how much phytate comes from grains and legumes. This is the most interesting detail about the topic and is rarely explained.
First, you’ll read about what zinc does in the body. Then come the signs supported by evidence, reference values with figures, the role of phytate, groups at increased risk, the pitfalls of testing, and a comparison of testing methods. The limitations come at the end.
What to expect in this article
1. What zinc does in the body
2. Which signs are supported by evidence
3. How much zinc women need
4. Why your bread changes the reference value
5. Which women this topic really matters to
6. Why a zinc level in the blood is hard to interpret
7. Who should consider testing, and who shouldn’t
8. What to keep in mind before the sample is taken
9. Which test answers which question
10. How to check your zinc level at home
11. Limitations: what a zinc level can’t tell you
12. What matters about this value
Frequently asked questions
Sources
What zinc does in the body
Zinc is a trace element found in more than a hundred enzymes and needed for healthy skin, wound healing, and growth. That’s how the MSD Manual describes it in its patient edition (Larry E. Johnson, 2025).
Enzymes are tools of metabolism. Without the tool, the process it was built for slows down. This explains why the list of zinc deficiency signs spans so many different parts of the body.
Key point
Zinc requirements depend on diet, not just sex. The lowest and highest recommendations for women differ by three milligrams a day, and the difference comes down to how much grain they eat.
Why women get their own article
Not because zinc deficiency is a women’s issue. Rather, reference values and testing cutoffs are genuinely different for women than for men, and pregnancy and breastfeeding have their own values.
There’s also a research finding that matters in the chapter on testing: plasma zinc cutoffs are consistently lower for women than for men. If you compare your result with a general scale, you’ll misread it.
Which signs are supported by evidence
The German Nutrition Society lists the possible effects of zinc deficiency in a single sentence. It is the most reliable German-language list on the subject.
Documented source
“Zinc deficiency can cause impaired growth in height, eczema, diarrhea, wound-healing problems, problems with perception and memory, and increased susceptibility to infectious diseases.”
German Nutrition Society (DGE)
Selected Questions and Answers on Zinc, as of 2025
In its professional edition, the MSD Manual also lists hair loss, loss of appetite, night blindness, anemia, disturbances of taste, and delayed wound healing (Larry E. Johnson, 2025). This provides evidence for effects on the skin, hair, immune system, wound healing, taste, and appetite.
What no source says
Brittle nails and white spots on the nails do not appear in any of the sources reviewed. Neither the DGE, either edition of the MSD Manual, nor the international review of zinc biomarkers lists nails.
This is noteworthy because few signs are mentioned as often. That does not mean they are ruled out. It means we found no evidence for them, so we will not pretend there is any.
Why the documented list seems so nonspecific
Eczema, diarrhea, and susceptibility to infections have dozens of possible causes. That is exactly why the list is useless as a search tool. It is useful for narrowing things down, not for assessing them: anything that is not on the list is very unlikely to be related.
That is why looking at dietary habits gets you to the answer faster than checking a list of symptoms. Knowing how much grain and animal protein is on your plate gives you a better indication.
How much zinc women need
For women aged 19 and over, the German Nutrition Society gives not one figure but three. Which one applies depends on how much phytate the diet contains.
Zinc for women in numbers
7 mg
per day with a low phytate intake, meaning little whole grain and few legumes, and predominantly animal protein
10 mg
per day with a high phytate intake, meaning lots of non-sprouted whole grains and exclusively plant-based protein
8 mg
is the average daily zinc intake of women in Germany; for men, it is 11 mg
Source: German Nutrition Society (DGE), Zinc reference values (derived 2019) and Questions and Answers on Zinc (as of 2025), intake data from the National Nutrition Survey II
Average intake is in the middle
Eight milligrams is exactly the value for a moderate phytate intake. So people who eat a mixed diet are right at the recommended level on average. Those who eat a lot of unprocessed whole grains are below it.
The German National Nutrition Survey II concludes in its key findings that intakes of the minerals sodium, potassium, magnesium, and zinc exceed the reference values for nutrient intake. An article that frames zinc deficiency as a widespread disease therefore contradicts its own data.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding have their own values
In the first trimester of pregnancy, the DGE recommends 7, 9, or 11 milligrams per day; in the second and third trimesters, 9, 11, or 13 milligrams, depending on low, medium, or high phytate intake. For breastfeeding women, the recommendations are 11, 13, or 14 milligrams (2019 assessment).
The MSD Manual notes that zinc deficiency during pregnancy can be associated with lower birth weight and preterm birth (2025). This is the only point in this article where zinc matters beyond well-being, and it belongs under medical supervision.
Why your bread changes the reference value
The DGE explains the mechanism in one sentence: “Phytate binds zinc in the gastrointestinal tract, so it can no longer be absorbed by the body, i.e., its bioavailability is reduced” (2025).
Phytate is found mainly in whole grains, legumes, and oilseeds. If you eat a lot of these, you also take in more zinc, but your body absorbs a smaller proportion of it. That’s why the recommendation goes up instead of down.
Vegetarian doesn’t automatically mean the high tier
This is the nuance that gets lost almost everywhere. The DGE explicitly places vegetarian or vegan diets in the middle tier, provided the plate mainly contains highly refined, sprouted, or fermented grain products (2019 assessment).
You fall into the high tier if you eat a lot of whole grains that haven’t been sprouted or fermented and get your protein primarily or exclusively from plants. So what matters is how food is processed, not the label on your diet.
What this means in practice
Sourdough bread, sprouted legumes, and soaked nuts contain less phytate than their untreated counterparts. It’s no magic trick, but the reason fermentation has been common in grain-based cultures for thousands of years.
So if you want to change your tier, you don’t change the amount but the preparation. You won’t find that in any dietary supplement, and it costs nothing.
Where zinc actually comes from
Zinc is found in meat, cheese, eggs, seafood, nuts, oilseeds, and legumes. The difference between animal and plant sources lies not only in their zinc content but also in how well it is absorbed, and that is exactly what the DGE’s tiered recommendations address.
That explains why the recommendation for people with high phytate intake is three milligrams higher than for those with low intake. It’s not about having more zinc on your plate, but about how much your body absorbs.
The objection is valid: wouldn’t that mean whole grains are a disadvantage? More precisely, they are not. Whole grains provide fiber, minerals, and satiety, and preparation can reduce the phytate effect. This is a calculation involving two factors, not a recommendation against whole grains.
Which women the issue really matters for
A German study comparing dietary patterns provides concrete figures. In 2023, Klein and colleagues compared the nutritional status of people following different diets in the journal Nutrients.
Zinc intake was 11.99 milligrams per day among people following an omnivorous diet, 8.58 among vegetarians, and 7.12 among vegans. Serum levels were below the reference range for 22.5 percent of omnivores, 33.3 percent of vegetarians, and 42.5 percent of vegans.
The surprising figure comes first
Even among people following an omnivorous diet, more than one in five fell below the reference range. This figure supports the view that serum levels are a weak standalone marker more than it supports the claim of widespread deficiency.
Both interpretations are possible, and we consider the first more likely. The next chapter explains why.
Which situations are actually supported by evidence
The professional edition of the MSD Manual lists a range of risk situations: chronic gastrointestinal diseases that impair absorption, such as celiac disease or Crohn’s disease; conditions following bariatric surgery; chronic kidney and liver diseases; diabetes; alcohol use disorder; and severe acute conditions (Larry E. Johnson, 2025).
What stands out about this list is what is missing from it. Neither heavy menstrual bleeding nor taking the pill is listed as a cause of zinc deficiency, even though both regularly appear in advice articles.
The only established link is with the pill, and it concerns measurement: oral contraceptives are among the factors that affect plasma zinc concentrations (King et al., 2016). That is different from increased requirements, and the distinction determines whether a sentence is a fact or a claim.
Chapter at a glance
Established risk factors include a predominantly plant-based diet high in phytate, pregnancy and breastfeeding, and chronic gastrointestinal diseases that impair absorption. A German study found that 42.5 percent of people following a vegan diet were below the serum reference range, compared with 22.5 percent of those following an omnivorous diet (Nutrients, 2023). We found no evidence that heavy menstrual bleeding increases zinc requirements.
Why a zinc level in blood is hard to interpret
The international review of zinc biomarkers by King and colleagues in the Journal of Nutrition (2016) makes the crucial point very clearly. At the population level, low plasma zinc levels and inadequate intake are closely associated. For an individual, this association is weak.
Blood zinc levels are more useful for making statements about populations than about you personally.
Blood zinc levels are more useful for making statements about populations than about you personally. That’s an uncomfortable sentence in an article accompanying a test, but it’s here nonetheless.
Four factors that shift the value
The same review lists the most recent meal, time of day, inflammation, and certain medications and hormones as influencing factors. It also lists age, sex, pregnancy, use of oral contraceptives, strenuous activity, body position during blood collection, and how long the tourniquet is kept on the arm.
For context: Freiburg University Hospital states that one percent hemolysis increases the serum zinc value by 15 percent, and that the concentration in a whole-blood sample rises by three percent per hour (2025). This is why it also recommends having blood drawn in the morning.
Cutoffs differ by sex and time of day
The 2016 review gives a cutoff of 70 micrograms per deciliter for women aged ten and older when blood is drawn in the morning while fasting, 66 when drawn in the morning while not fasting, and 59 in the afternoon. The corresponding values for men are 74, 70, and 61.
Ulm University Hospital gives a reference range of 9 to 22 micromoles per liter for women and 12 to 26 for men as a guide for adults (2023). The word “guide” appears in the original, which is why this article does not interpret individual values.
Two different units for the same measurement make things more complicated. International research uses micrograms per deciliter, while German laboratories usually use micromoles per liter. When comparing two figures, check the unit first, then the value.
What this means in practice
The relevant range is the one on your own test result. It comes from the laboratory that performed the test and is suited to its method and sample material. Figures in articles are a guide, not a benchmark.
And because so many factors can shift the value, preparation matters more. For zinc, it has a greater impact on how meaningful the result is than for most other values, which is why the following chapter deals with it.
Who should get tested and who shouldn’t
Makes sense for you if …
you have been eating a mostly plant-based diet for some time and want to know where you stand in comparison.
you want to see zinc in relation to selenium, copper, and manganese rather than as a standalone result without context.
you’ve changed your diet and want to track the trend over several months.
Probably not, if …
you currently have or recently had an infection. Inflammation shifts zinc levels, making the result difficult to interpret.
you’re pregnant or breastfeeding. In that case, this question belongs in your medical care, not in a self-test.
you’re hoping for definitive proof. The serum result can’t provide that for an individual.
What to keep in mind before collecting the sample
For zinc, preparation affects the result more than it does for most other markers. The following four steps cost nothing and turn an arbitrary number into a comparable result.
In the morning and fasting
Zinc levels follow a daily rhythm and respond to meals. Morning before breakfast is the reference point.
Not during an infection
Inflammation shifts the result. Waiting two weeks after a feverish infection is a sensible rule of thumb.
Note the circumstances
Time of day, whether you were fasting, and contraceptive use. Without this information, the result can’t be interpreted later.
Send it back promptly
The zinc concentration in a whole blood sample rises by around three percent per hour. Mail it the same day.
Which question each test answers
Zinc is included in both mybody®x blood tests that cover trace elements. The difference lies in the context surrounding the result. The table compares both using the same four criteria.
| Criterion | BalanceCheck | VitalCheck Complete | Medical evaluation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contains zinc | Yes, with selenium, copper, manganese, chromium, and molybdenum | Yes, with selenium, copper, and manganese | On request, usually in connection with a specific question |
| Context for the result | Electrolytes and four heavy metals, no vitamins | Vitamins, iron status, and blood lipids, no heavy metals | Freely selectable, with inflammation markers for context |
| Answers the question | Where do my mineral and trace element levels stand? | How are my vitamin, iron, and trace element levels? | Is an underlying condition or impaired absorption causing this? |
| Provides a diagnosis | No, explicitly not | No, explicitly not | Yes, that’s what it’s for |
The third column is not just a courtesy. Inflammation shifts zinc levels, and inflammation markers aren’t included in self-tests. If you want an unusual result explained, you need them.
How to check your zinc levels at home
Both tests by mybody®x (MYBODY Lab GmbH) measure zinc from capillary blood. You collect the sample at home with a finger prick, and it is analyzed by a certified medical laboratory.
Capillary blood test
BalanceCheck | Electrolytes & Minerals Test
15 elements from one blood sample: zinc alongside selenium, chromium, copper, manganese and molybdenum, plus five electrolytes and four heavy metals. What the test does not do: it does not include inflammation markers, so an abnormal zinc level cannot be distinguished from an infection. It does not provide a diagnosis.
Lab analysis 3–5 business days after sample receipt
Product page information, accessed 10.08.2026
Capillary blood test
VitalCheck | Nutrient & Mineral Test Complete
Zinc alongside selenium, copper and manganese, plus vitamin D3, vitamin B12, folic acid, ferritin, transcobalamin, blood lipids, calcium, magnesium and sodium. Useful if you want to assess zinc alongside your vitamin and iron levels. What the test does not do: it does not test for heavy metals or potassium, and it does not provide a diagnosis.
Lab analysis 3–5 business days after sample receipt
Product page information, accessed 10.08.2026
Limitations: what a zinc level does not tell you
A blood test does not provide a diagnosis. In its patient edition, the MSD Manual explicitly states that zinc tests may not measure zinc levels accurately (2025). It is hard to state a measurement limitation more clearly.
It also does not answer the question of what caused it. A low level can be due to intake, absorption in the gut, inflammation or the time the sample was taken. A single number cannot distinguish between these four.
The available data also have limitations. German figures are available for reference values, phytate levels, and average intake. We could not substantiate how many women in Germany fail to meet the reference value, so no such proportion is given here.
We deliberately left out two common claims. We found no evidence of increased zinc requirements with heavy menstrual bleeding, and the claim that the pill causes zinc deficiency is also unsupported. The only established fact is that oral contraceptives can affect the measured level.
Finally, supplements: The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment recommends a maximum of 6.5 milligrams of zinc per daily serving of dietary supplements, confirmed by the Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety in 2023. According to the DGE, the tolerable total intake for adults is 25 milligrams per day. These are different measures and are often confused.
What matters about this value
If you take away just one action from this article, make it this: for a week, pay attention to how your grains make it onto your plate. Sourdough or yeast dough, sprouted or unsprouted legumes, soaked or dry nuts.
The reason is simple. This observation determines whether 7, 8, or 10 milligrams per day applies to you, and therefore gives you the only number you can compare your intake with. Without it, any comparison with a reference value is just a guess.
We started with the question about symptoms. The most honest answer is that they are too nonspecific to point to zinc. The shorter route is through your diet, and it costs nothing but a week of paying attention.
Frequently asked questions
What are the symptoms of zinc deficiency in women?
The DGE lists impaired growth in height, skin eczema, diarrhea, impaired wound healing, problems with perception and memory, and greater susceptibility to infectious diseases (2025). The MSD Manual also lists hair loss, loss of appetite, impaired sense of taste, night blindness, and anemia (2025). Brittle nails and white spots on the nails are not mentioned in any of the sources reviewed.
How much zinc do women need per day?
The German Nutrition Society (DGE) specifies 7, 8, or 10 milligrams per day for women aged 19 and older, depending on low, moderate, or high phytate intake (derived in 2019). During pregnancy, the amounts are 7, 9, or 11 milligrams in the first trimester, and 9, 11, or 13 milligrams in the second and third trimesters. For breastfeeding women, they are 11, 13, or 14 milligrams. The applicable level depends on the proportion of whole grains and legumes in the diet and how they are processed.
Are vegetarians and vegans more likely to have a zinc deficiency?
A German study published in the journal Nutrients in 2023 found a zinc intake of 8.58 milligrams per day for vegetarian diets and 7.12 milligrams for vegan diets, compared with 11.99 milligrams for omnivorous diets. Serum levels below the reference range were found in 33.3 and 42.5 percent, respectively, and in 22.5 percent of those eating an omnivorous diet. Food preparation matters: the DGE classifies a vegetarian or vegan diet that includes sprouted or fermented grain products as moderate, not high.
How reliable is a blood zinc level?
Useful at the population level, but only to a limited extent for an individual. The review by King et al. in The Journal of Nutrition (2016) lists the last meal, time of day, inflammation, certain medications and hormones, body position during sample collection, and the duration of tourniquet application as influencing factors. The University Hospital Freiburg states that one percent hemolysis increases the level by 15 percent (2025). Therefore, have the test in the morning, fasting, not during an infection, and get the sample to the lab promptly.
How much zinc may a dietary supplement contain?
The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment recommends a maximum amount of 6.5 milligrams per daily recommended serving, as confirmed by the Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety in 2023. This should be distinguished from the tolerable total intake, which the DGE sets at 25 milligrams of zinc per day for adults and includes total intake from food and supplements.
Next step
Zinc in context, not as a standalone value
A zinc level alone is difficult to interpret. Both tests show it alongside other trace elements, helping identify a pattern rather than relying on a single number. They do not replace medical evaluation.
Go to BalanceCheck Go to VitalCheck CompleteRead more
You might also be interested in
An overview of all minerals, if you’re keeping an eye on more than just zinc.
When testing is useful and when it isn’t.
Sources
- German Nutrition Society (DGE): Selected questions and answers about zinc (as of 2025) – dge.de
- German Nutrition Society (DGE): Zinc reference values (derived in 2019) – dge.de
- King JC, Brown KH, Gibson RS, et al.: Biomarkers of Nutrition for Development, Zinc Review. The Journal of Nutrition 146(4), 2016 – pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- MSD Manual, Patient Edition and Professional Edition: Zinc Deficiency, Larry E. Johnson (as of 2025) – msdmanuals.com
The direct quotation about the consequences of zinc deficiency, the sentence on the phytate mechanism, the intake figures from the National Nutrition Survey II, and the tolerable total intake level are from source [1]. All reference values, including phytate levels, and the values for pregnancy and breastfeeding are based on [2]. Statements about the significance of plasma zinc levels, influencing factors, and thresholds by sex and time of day are from [3]; the additional symptoms, risk situations, note on pregnancy, and sentence on measurement accuracy are from [4]. Information on hemolysis, transport, and the time of sample collection comes from the trace element analysis guidelines of University Hospital Freiburg (as of 2025); figures for dietary patterns come from Klein L and others, Nutrients 15(16):3538, 2023; both are attributed in the text to the relevant institution or authorship and year. The BfR maximum level is cited in the text with the year and confirming authority. Information on price, biomarkers, sample type, and laboratory comes from mybody®x product pages, accessed on 10.08.2026; processing times follow the central guideline for blood tests. All sources were accessed and checked on 10.08.2026.
mybody®x Editorial & Specialist Team
Laboratory diagnostics Nutritional science Blood test interpretation Nutrigenetics
This article was created by the mybody®x editorial and specialist team. The team brings together laboratory diagnostics, nutritional science, and the interpretation of blood tests. The people who contribute to it are listed on the authors page.
Published on 10.08.2026 · Last updated on 10.08.2026
The information is for general purposes and does not replace medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Reference ranges depend on the laboratory, method, and age; the information on your test report is always authoritative.
