One of the most prominent symptoms of zinc deficiency is loss of taste or smell which was a prominent symptom during the COVID infection wave led by the delta variant. However, this symptom was not observed during the omicron wave.
Other signs that point to the presence of low zinc in the body are: poor appetite, depressed mood, low immunity, delayed wound healing, hair loss and diarrhea.
According to one study, in more severe cases, zinc deficiency causes delayed sexual maturity, impotence, hypogonadism in men, and eye and skin lesions. In many cases it can also cause unexplained weight loss and mental lethargy.
People who experience blurred vision for no specific reason may be tested for zinc deficiency. It is said that the amount of zinc in the eyes is high and when the amount of the mineral is less then it changes the vision. Zinc is said to be involved in the formation of the visual pigment in the retina.