Which deficiency can cause skin rashes, hair loss, and loss of taste?

Which deficiency can cause skin rashes, hair loss, and loss of taste?

• A. Zinc
• B. Copper
• C. Iron
• D. Vitamin C

Answer: (A)

Zinc deficiency disrupts skin, hair, and taste because zinc is a crucial cofactor for many enzymes and for the maintenance of skin and taste bud cells. When zinc is low, skin integrity worsens, leading to dermatitis and rashes; hair follicles can’t maintain normal growth, causing hair loss; and taste receptors don’t function properly, leading to loss of taste. This combination of dermatitis, alopecia, and dysgeusia is a classic presentation of zinc deficiency. Other options don’t typically cause all three symptoms together—for example, iron deficiency mainly causes fatigue and anemia, vitamin C deficiency causes scorbutic signs like gum disease and collagen problems, and copper deficiency has different effects on connective tissue and blood cells.

Zinc deficiency disrupts skin, hair, and taste because zinc is a crucial cofactor for many enzymes and for the maintenance of skin and taste bud cells. When zinc is low, skin integrity worsens, leading to dermatitis and rashes; hair follicles can’t maintain normal growth, causing hair loss; and taste receptors don’t function properly, leading to loss of taste. This combination of dermatitis, alopecia, and dysgeusia is a classic presentation of zinc deficiency. Other options don’t typically cause all three symptoms together—for example, iron deficiency mainly causes fatigue and anemia, vitamin C deficiency causes scorbutic signs like gum disease and collagen problems, and copper deficiency has different effects on connective tissue and blood cells.