What happens if too much zinc is ingested?
Excess intake of zinc can lead to zinc toxicity. Zinc toxicity can be acute or chronic. Zinc supplement in amounts of 2 gm/day can lead to acute toxicity leading to nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, convulsions. Prolonged intake of over 150 mg of zinc per day can lead to low copper, altered iron function, reduced immune function and decreased level of high-density lipoprotein. Chronic toxicity can lead to lethargy, anemia, neutropenia and CNS disturbances predominantly due to lowering of copper levels.
