Doctor shares major signs your body is lacking a crucial mineral
A doctor has shared the symptoms of a deficiency that could lead to "hair loss, low testosterone and low libido."
A doctor has shared the signs and symptoms of a mineral deficiency that could lead to "hair loss, low testosterone, or low libido", as well as chronic infections or even your food lacking taste. These signs might suggest a lack of zinc in your system.
We depend on a variety of vitamins and minerals, ideally sourced from a balanced diet, to maintain optimal health. A deficiency in these essential nutrients can hinder the body's ability to function effectively.
Zinc is an essential nutrient found in a variety of plant and animal foods, as well as supplements. It plays a key role in skin health, immune function, and cell growth and may protect against acne, inflammation, and other conditions.
According to the NHS, zinc helps with making new cells and enzymes, processing carbohydrate, fat and protein in food and wound healing. Good sources of zinc include meat, shellfish, dairy foods such as cheese, bread, and cereal products like wheatgerm.
The NHS says men aged 19 to 64 need around 9.5mg of zinc a day, while women need around 7mg. It adds that you should be able to get all the zinc you need by eating a varied and balanced diet.
Dr Eric Berg DC, author of the bestselling book, The Healthy Keto Plan, specialises in healthy ketosis and intermittent fasting. He detailed the symptoms you might notice if your body is deficient in zinc.
The doctor took to his YouTube page, which has a following of 13.5m, to share the information. The YouTube Short was titled "zinc deficiency warning signs."
In the clip, he said: "Your body is begging for zinc if you're experiencing hair loss, low testosterone or low libido. If you have a chronic infection or an ulcer or some type of wound that won't heal suspect a zinc deficiency.
"If your food is tasting too bland that can also be a zinc deficiency because zinc controls taste and smell."
Signs of zinc deficiency
According to Healthline, there are a number of signs that could indicate a zinc deficiency. These include:
Decreased immunity
Thinning hair
Impaired taste or smell
Dry skin
Fertility issues
Impaired wound healing
Diarrhoea
It added: "Zinc deficiency is difficult to detect using laboratory tests due to your body's tight control over zinc levels. Thus, you may still be deficient even if tests indicate normal levels."
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Millions who meet the prescription criteria will simply have to be denied the drugs because doctors are so busy. On top of everything else England's 6,300 doctors' surgeries have to deal with, they do not have the capacity to offer the necessary long-term supervision for millions more people at once. Experts reckon private prescriptions will rocket even more as frustrated patients give up waiting. If you are eligible but your GP denies you a prescription, you may be able to ask for a referral to specialist weight management services. Known as tier 2 and tier 3 weight management services, they may prescribe the jabs after other weight loss attempts. Many people are expected to find it easier to go private, with the injections widely available from high street pharmacies like Boots, Superdrug, and even Asda. Olivier Picard, of the National Pharmacy Association, said: 'NHS provision won't meet demand straight away, so we fully expect that many people will continue seeking it privately.' Advice for people buying them privately BUYING the drugs online might seem like the faster fix – but buyer beware. Slimming success stories are everywhere but so, too, are tales of horror. Many patients have been duped by dodgy sellers, suffered severe side effects or even died after taking jabs they bought online. Bargain prices, easy tick-box applications, or prescriptions with no follow-up, should all be red flags to online shoppers. Many pharmacies have been rapped for giving them away to people who do not meet the obesity criteria, potentially putting their health at risk. Dose strength is partly based on size and pretending you are fatter than you are could mean you end up with a medication too strong for your body, raising the risk of serious side effects. The most common side effects from the injections include feeling sick, vomiting, diarrhoea or other gut troubles. If not treated properly people can suffer more serious impacts like dehydration, gallstones, pancreatitis or allergic reactions – and more than 100 deaths in the UK have so far been linked to the jabs. The General Pharmaceutical Council issued new rules in February to say that all pharmacies must verify a patient's height and weight, and conduct at least a video call – if not face-to-face appointment – before prescribing weight loss injections. Dr Emily Pegg, associate vice president at Lilly, which makes Mounjaro, said: 'This is still a prescription-only medicine, should only be prescribed by a registered healthcare professional and needs to be dispensed by a registered pharmacy. 'It is not something that people should be able to buy by just going out and going on to a social media site and clicking a button and it gets delivered to them. 'That is not appropriate and is probably illegal. 'Patient safety is a high priority.' Everything you need to know about fat jabs Weight loss jabs are all the rage as studies and patient stories reveal they help people shed flab at almost unbelievable rates, as well as appearing to reduce the risk of serious diseases. Wegovy – a modified version of type 2 diabetes drug Ozempic – and Mounjaro are the leading weight loss injections used in the UK. Wegovy, real name semaglutide, has been used on the NHS for years while Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is a newer and more powerful addition to the market. Mounjaro accounts for most private prescriptions for weight loss and is set to join Wegovy as an NHS staple this year. How do they work? The jabs work by suppressing your appetite, making you eat less so your body burns fat for energy instead and you lose weight. They do this my mimicking a hormone called GLP-1, which signals to the brain when the stomach is full, so the drugs are officially called GLP-1 receptor agonists. They slow down digestion and increase insulin production, lowering blood sugar, which is why they were first developed to treat type 2 diabetes in which patients' sugar levels are too high. Can I get them? NHS prescriptions of weight loss drugs, mainly Wegovy and an older version called Saxenda (chemical name liraglutide), are controlled through specialist weight loss clinics. Typically a patient will have to have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, classifying them as medically obese, and also have a weight-related health condition such as high blood pressure. GPs generally do not prescribe the drugs for weight loss. Private prescribers offer the jabs, most commonly Mounjaro, to anyone who is obese (BMI of 30+) or overweight (BMI 25-30) with a weight-related health risk. Private pharmacies have been rapped for handing them out too easily and video calls or face-to-face appointments are now mandatory to check a patient is being truthful about their size and health. Are there any risks? Yes – side effects are common but most are relatively mild. Around half of people taking the drug experience gut issues, including sickness, bloating, acid reflux, constipation and diarrhoea. Dr Sarah Jarvis, GP and clinical consultant at said: 'One of the more uncommon side effects is severe acute pancreatitis, which is extremely painful and happens to one in 500 people.' Other uncommon side effects include altered taste, kidney problems, allergic reactions, gallbladder problems and hypoglycemia. Evidence has so far been inconclusive about whether the injections are damaging to patients' mental health. Figures obtained by The Sun show that, up to January 2025, 85 patient deaths in the UK were suspected to be linked to the medicines. Future of fat jabs WHILE the Mounjaro rollout is expected to kick off with a whimper and not a bang, it is hoped it will mark the beginning of a new era in weight loss medicine. Brits have been getting gradually fatter for decades and no medication or government policy has managed to beat the bulge. The drugs appear super-effective, reasonably priced and relatively safe, and could help millions slim down after failed diets. They are expected to reduce the risks of type 2 diabetes, cancer and dementia. And studies increasingly show they improve health in other ways on top of weight loss, too, reducing the risk of heart attacks and strokes. NHS medical director, Professor Sir Stephen Powis, believes they could one day be as transformative as cholesterol-lowering statins, which have slashed heart attacks since they were rolled out decades ago. Prof Powis said: 'I think over time it's highly likely that these drugs will become more widespread. 'I think there will be a combination of increased evidence of positive outcomes and costs dropping, and we will learn better how to deploy them. 'This is very exciting – we're in the foothills of learning how to use them.'
