Zinc Test

Why should I test my zinc levels?

Maintaining adequate zinc levels is good for your health and well-being on many levels. Zinc is important for muscle development, wound healing, skin and hair and much more. The immune system also needs zinc, which is why the mineral is considered great for fighting colds.However, taking high doses of zinc supplements without confirming a deficiency is not a good idea. Too much of the mineral can lead to zinc poisoning and can interfere with the absorption of other nutrients.It is better to check your levels with a test. A blood test like the cerascreen Mineral Test can tell you more about how full your zinc reserves are. With the test result, you can then target a change in diet or supplementation.The test also determines the concentration of the minerals magnesium and selenium.

Who should take the test?

Checking a possible deficiency is worthwhile for many people, as it is hard to consume enough zinc in our diets.A zinc deficiency test is particularly useful if you belong to one of the following risk groups for a deficiency:People who do intensive sports, as they lose a lot of zinc through sweat.Vegetarians and vegans.Pregnant and breastfeeding women, as they also have to supply the foetus or the infant with minerals.People with chronic inflammatory bowel diseases.

How does the test work?

For the Mineral Test, take a small blood sample from your fingertip using a lancet. The sample is sent in a tube via a return envelope to a specialist diagnostics laboratory.The diagnostic laboratory then analyses the concentration of the minerals magnesium, selenium and zinc in your blood.

What does the results report tell me?

The detailed results report reveals the measured values of minerals in your blood retrieved from the laboratory analysis.You will learn how high the concentration of the mineral zinc is in your blood. The value is measured in millimoles per litre (mmol/l).You will also find out how much magnesium in milligrams per litre (mg/l) and selenium in micrograms per litre (μg/l) were detected in your blood.You will receive the reference values – that is, the ranges of values within which your mineral concentrations should ideally be.The report provides you with valuable information about zinc, zinc deficiency and the other minerals. You will learn how to optimise your diet and supplement intake to improve your zinc levels through clear recommendations.

What is zinc?

Zinc is an essential mineral that you need to get from food. Your body stores about two to three grams of zinc, most of it in the muscles.We humans need the zinc for many important processes in the body, including:Immune systemRegulation of blood sugarWound healingMuscle growthGrowth of skin and hair

What causes a zinc deficiency?

Theoretically, a zinc deficiency can result from malnutrition, but this is rare in central Europe. People who are deficient in zinc often need to increase their zinc intake because their body absorbs too little zinc, they consume a lot of it or they have a special diet.A zinc deficiency can be caused, among other things, by very intensive sports, as you thereby release more zinc through sweating.A vegan or vegetarian diet increases the risk of deficiency because we absorb zinc from plant-based foods less efficiently than from animal products.In addition, people with inflammatory bowel diseases have an increased risk of zinc deficiency. For them, zinc absorption in the intestine may be impaired.

What are the symptoms of zinc deficiency?

Zinc deficiency can lead to the following symptoms, among others:

Hair loss and brittle nailsWeakened sense of smellMuscle cramps and feelings of weaknessDelayed wound healing and skin problemstiredness, lack of concentration and depressive moods.

In addition, a zinc deficiency can weaken the immune system and make you more susceptible to infections. This means that you tend to suffer more frequently from colds, but also from infectious diseases such as cystitis, gastrointestinal infections and inflammation of the mouth and tongue.

Which foods contain zinc?

Zinc is found in a wide variety of foods – in large quantities, for example, in oysters, cheese (e.g. Emmental), chicken eggs, beef, offal and sunflower seeds, and to a lesser extent in cereals, nuts and legumes.Your body can absorb zinc from animal products much better than from plant foods.If you have been diagnosed with a zinc deficiency, you can also take zinc supplements. Good supplements contain zinc compounds that your body can absorb well – for example, zinc histidine.

What happens if your zinc levels are too high?

If you consume too much zinc, it can even lead to zinc poisoning. However, this is usually not possible through the normal diet.There is a risk of poisoning, for example, if you take high-dose food supplements although you already have enough zinc in your body. You should generally only take zinc supplements for a longer period of time if a test has shown that you have a deficiency.Possible consequences of an excess of zinc are gastrointestinal problems, hair loss, kidney dysfunction and worsened cholesterol levels. In addition, too much zinc can interfere with the absorption of other minerals, such as calcium, magnesium, copper and iron. If this results in an iron deficiency, it can lead to anaemia, for example.

For whom is the test not suitable?

The Mineral Test is not suitable for or is only suitable to a limited extent for certain groups of people:

• People with infectious diseases such as hepatitis and HIV, are not allowed to take the Mineral Test. 
• People with haemophilia should not take the blood test.
• Pregnant and breastfeeding women should only take the Mineral Test under medical supervision. The reference values and recommendations do not apply to them, so they should seek recommendations on the test result from their doctor.
• The Mineral Test is not suitable for children under 18 years of age.

The test is not intended for diagnosing illness. For example, if you suffer from severe depression or extreme pain, consult a doctor.

Why are children under 18 not allowed to take the test?

Our tests are not suitable for underage children and adolescents under the age of 18. Under 18s cannot activate the tests online and therefore cannot receive a test result. We ask that you do not administer the tests to your children either.

Children and adolescents need much closer supervision and counselling regarding medical tests and their interpretation. Testing with lancets and chemicals is not without risk and would need to be closely supervised by guardians. In addition, the reference values we give are always based on adult data. In the case of children, the risk of misinterpreting the results would be very high.

We want to fulfil our responsibility as a provider of medical products and ensure that children and adolescents are not unsettled by measurement results that are difficult for them to interpret. Since we cannot control whether the minors' legal guardians actually consent to the test being carried out and supervise them, we exclude tests for under 18s altogether.

If you are under 18 and have purchased a test, please contact our customer support.

Why does it take up to a week for the sample to reach the lab?

Please bear in mind that your results will not be analyzed in the UK but in Germany. For that reason, it can take up to a week for the sample to arrive at the lab. This does not affect the stability of the samples, as the method we are using is optimized for long transports.

Initially, your sample is sent to our collection center in the UK. From there, it is shipped to our central sample sorting facility in Germany, which then distributes samples to our partner laboratories. Once your sample is analyzed there, you will receive a notification and can access your result online.

Please check your mailbox regularly. We will notify you as soon as your sample is sent, arrives, or is analyzed.