Subclinical zinc deficiency impairs human brain function.

Experiments in other species showed zinc essential for brain growth and function. Six randomized controlled comparative treatment experiments in Chinese and Mexican-American low-income children, aged 6-9 years, middle-income US adolescents, middle-income US premenopausal women and middle income US men, found that subclinical zinc deficiency changes brain function. Simultaneous treatment with a broad mixture of other micronutrients and/or an adequate omnivorous diet appeared to enhance the efficacy of zinc.