Metalle — Zinc, Selenium & Iron

Trace mineral panel measuring zinc, selenium, and iron — the three trace elements most commonly deficient in Western diets and most relevant to immune function, thyroid health, and energy production. At €31.48, an affordable targeted mineral screen.

This panel focuses on three trace elements with outsized clinical impact relative to their dietary quantities. Zinc is essential for immune function (zinc deficiency impairs T-cell maturation and natural killer cell activity), wound healing, taste perception, and skin health. Mild zinc deficiency is common in Western diets and presents with recurrent infections, slow wound healing, and impaired taste — symptoms often attributed to other causes. Selenium is critical for thyroid hormone conversion (the deiodinase enzymes that convert inactive T4 to active T3 are selenium-dependent) and for antioxidant defence via the glutathione peroxidase system. Selenium status varies significantly across Europe depending on soil selenium content — German and Eastern European soils tend to be selenium-poor compared to North American soils. Deficiency contributes to thyroid dysfunction, impaired immunity, and increased oxidative stress. Iron is the most commonly deficient nutrient worldwide. Iron deficiency progresses through stages: depleted stores (low ferritin, normal haemoglobin), iron-deficient erythropoiesis (falling transferrin saturation), and finally iron-deficiency anaemia (low haemoglobin). Symptoms — fatigue, exercise intolerance, cognitive impairment, cold extremities — appear well before anaemia develops. This panel is particularly useful for athletes (iron and zinc losses through sweat), vegetarians (reduced bioavailability of plant-based minerals), and anyone with thyroid dysfunction (selenium's role in T4-to-T3 conversion). The Diagnosticum price of €31.48 makes this accessible for periodic monitoring.