Lack of Alertness
A sudden decrease in alertness, mental confusion, or brain fog is another indication of zinc deficiency. Alertness is the state of active attention that entails high sensory awareness leading to the ability to perceive threats and act accordingly quickly. People with zinc deficiencies can have short attention spans and difficulty focusing on their immediate tasks. Their mental clarity is compromised because the brain doesn’t have enough zinc to manage dopamine.
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that the body uses to send signals to and from cells. Although it plays a significant part in how people feel pleasure, dopamine is essential in keeping the body alert and ready to react to various stimuli. If a person doesn’t have enough in their system, they run the chance that they wouldn’t have enough healthy neurotransmitters to keep the body alert. It can be problematic, as a lack of alertness can increase the possibility that an individual will have an accident and may be more susceptible to bouts of confusion and limited perceptiveness.
People who wish to avoid such a state are typically advised to increase their zinc intake but are also warned not to exceed the daily intake threshold.
