$40.00
Priced per marker, with baseline labs included. You’ll see your total before you pay.
Brain & nervous system
Zinc (red blood cell) test
Zinc inside red cells; may be more sensitive for long-term status than plasma zinc.
At a glance
In about 5 days
Most results are ready in about 5 days. Some specialty markers can take up to 21 days.
Check before your draw
This marker has no preparation tag, but it can still need preparation. Contact us before your draw if you’re not sure.
Walk in at Quest
Your lab order arrives by email. Most Quest locations take walk-ins, so bring it with a photo ID.
What it measures
Looks at zinc inside your red blood cells, rather than in the liquid part of your blood. Because red cells live for months, it may give a longer-term picture.
Why it matters for women
Your body needs more zinc during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Low zinc can be more common if you eat little or no meat or seafood, have a gut condition like Crohn’s disease, or have had weight-loss surgery. Zinc and copper compete in the body, so very high zinc can lower copper.
You might check it if…
- you eat little or no meat or seafood
- you get sick often or wounds heal slowly
- you’ve had weight-loss surgery or a gut condition like Crohn’s
- a doctor wants a longer-term view of your zinc
What your result may mean
High Zinc (red blood cell): what it may mean
High RBC zinc may mean supplement use or a steady, adequate intake over time. Because red cells can live for months, this result can stay up after a recent change in intake. Very high zinc can lower copper, so a clinician may check copper too, especially if anemia or nerve symptoms are part of the picture. A high value may not cause symptoms on its own. There's no single perfect test for zinc, so plasma zinc can add a second view.
Low Zinc (red blood cell): what it may mean
Low RBC zinc may point to a longer-term shortfall, even when serum zinc looks normal. It can be more common if you eat little or no meat or seafood, have a gut condition like Crohn's disease, or have had weight-loss surgery, and needs can rise in pregnancy and breastfeeding. Some people may notice hair loss, skin issues or more infections. Those symptoms can have many other explanations, so this result may be read next to plasma zinc. Iron and thyroid tests can also matter when hair loss is the concern.
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These notes provide context and do not diagnose a condition. Not yet available in NY, NJ, RI, HI, ND, SD or WV.