Should I be taking zinc?

Zinc is the second most common trace mineral in our bodies and affects all organs and cells. Zinc deficiency is associated with impaired growth, slower wound healing and increased susceptibility to infections like the common cold. Zulfiqar Bhutta, Director of the Aga Khan University Institute for Global Health and Development, said the studies have been small, and narrow in focus. To gauge zinc’s effectiveness on the common cold, he said we need larger, placebo-controlled trials across geographies, in populations both zinc deficient and not.