Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
What is a Zinc test?
Zinc is known as one of the most essential micronutrients of a human body that plays a major role in the immune functions of the body as well as cell production. Also, it has certain roles in lipid, protein and nucleic acid metabolism. Our body gets zinc through the consumption of foods that are rich in zinc. The zinc amount in your body depends on how much of the foods you are consuming that are rich in zinc. Low consumption of zinc is the reason behind low zinc concentration in your blood, which is the prime reason behind zinc deficiency.
What are the primary causes of zinc deficiency?
- Low consumption of zinc-rich foods
- Poor absorption of zinc in the body that causes huge lack of zinc
Some other causes of zinc deficiency may include
- Celiac disease
- Chronic kidney disease
- Diabetes
- Chronic liver disease
- Ulcerative colitis
- Sickle cell disease
- Crohn’s disease
- Pancreatic disease
- Alcohol addiction
When to go for this test?
When the primary signs and symptoms of zinc deficiency start to get visible in your body then the medical experts may suggest you to go for this test because this test is the most effective way to determine the presence of zinc deficiency in the body. Some of the most mentionable signs and symptoms of zinc deficiency may include
- Poor immune function
- Diarrhea
- Loss of appetite
- Hair loss
- Fatigue
- Delayed sexual maturity
- Delayed healing of injuries
- Lesions on eyes and skin
- Unexplained weight loss
- Lack of alertness
- Reduced sense of taste and smell
Test preparations
No preparations are needed before appearing for a zinc test. However, don’t forget to inform the pathologists if you are on medications before the test process takes place. Also, have a consultation with the experienced pathologists to know if there are any other necessary guidelines to be followed.
Sample requirements
One healthcare professional will be fetching a bit of blood from your vein using a syringe and storing it in a tube. Soon after this fetching process is over, the sample will be carried to the laboratory. Once the samples are collected and sent to the laboratory, it does not take too long to generate the test report.
Are there any risks associated with this test?
You may feel a bit of bruising or a little inflammation at that particular area from where the blood has been fetched using a syringe. No need to be worried as such complexities are temporary and usually go away with time. If you feel any critical uneasiness after the blood collection process, you should get in touch with a genuine and reliable medical expert as soon as possible. Zinc test facilities are widely available now, so it’s not a big challenge to find the facilities of a zinc test near me.
Result interpretation
The test report will show that your body has lower than normal levels of zinc. You can have a brief consultation with a doctor about the test report as well as other necessary medical actions that can be required. Fortunately, a zinc test price is very reasonable nowadays.