What does the Zinc test measure?

Why is Zinc measured?

Plasma zinc is the most widely used, though imperfect, marker of zinc status, applied to assess suspected deficiency and to monitor repletion. It is insensitive to mild deficiency and falls non-specifically during inflammation as zinc redistributes intracellularly, so a low value does not always indicate true depletion. It is interpreted with the clinical picture and, where relevant, an inflammatory marker such as CRP and albumin.

Reference ranges

Standard reference

70–120 µg/dL (10.7–18.4 µmol/L) # REVIEWER FLAG: Reference intervals are assay- and specimen-dependent (plasma vs serum) and may vary by time of day and fasting status — reviewer to confirm against Access Medical Laboratories' assay-specific range.

Functional medicine optimal

Mid-to-upper reference range is sometimes regarded as functionally favourable, though not standardised # REVIEWER FLAG: Functional 'optimal' zinc target is not standardised — reviewer to confirm against IFM or equivalent source.

Units

µg/dL, µmol/L, mg/L

Reference ranges vary by laboratory and assay platform. Interpret in context of the issuing laboratory's stated range.