Zinc, one of the trace minerals found in food, affects multiple aspects of the immune system, from the skin barrier to gene regulation within lymphocytes. Zinc’s effects on the immune system are rooted in its myriad of roles in essential cellular processes such as DNA replication, RNA transcription, cell division, and cell activation. Further, its antioxidant properties and ability to stabilize membranes suggest that it has a role in preventing free radical-induced damage.*