Zinc 24-Hour Urine Substance Concentration
This test measures the amount of zinc excreted in urine collected over 24 hours, which can reflect how much zinc is being absorbed and eliminated by the body.
["A 24-hour urine zinc measurement helps assess zinc status and urinary zinc loss when evaluated alongside diet, other labs, and clinical findings."]
Key facts at a glance
- LOINC
- 34388-9
- Short code
- Zinc 24h Ur-sCnc
- Synonyms
- Zinc 24h Ur-sCnc
- Category
- chemistry
- Sample
- urine
- Container
- Sterile urine container
- Units
- N/A
- Fasting
- false
- Population
- adult
- Sex
- all
- Age range
- 18–65 years
- Specimen volume
- 10 mL
- Stability
- Room temperature: 2h, Refrigerated: 24h, Frozen: 7d
- Hemolysis max
- 0
- Lipemia max
- 0
- Icterus max
- 0
- TAT
- 4–24 hours
- Order
- routine
What This Test Measures
Zinc is an essential trace mineral involved in immune function, wound healing, growth, and many enzyme reactions. A 24-hour urine zinc test measures the total amount of zinc excreted in urine over a full day, which reflects both dietary intake and how the kidneys handle zinc.
Why a 24-Hour Collection Is Used
Zinc excretion varies throughout the day, so a single urine sample may not represent average output. Collecting all urine over 24 hours provides a more representative estimate of daily urinary zinc loss than a spot sample.
How to Prepare
Your care team will give specific collection instructions, including when to start and end the collection and whether to avoid any supplements or foods beforehand. Follow those instructions carefully, because incomplete or improperly timed collection can make results unreliable.
What Results Can Suggest
Urinary zinc can be affected by diet, supplements, kidney function, and other health conditions. Results are interpreted by a clinician in the context of symptoms, dietary history, and other laboratory tests rather than by a single number alone.
Clinical interpretation
How abnormal results are interpreted and what conditions they suggest.
Urinary zinc measurement is used as one part of evaluating zinc status and suspected deficiencies or excesses, and it may also help assess conditions affecting renal handling of trace minerals. It is not diagnostic by itself; clinicians interpret it with serum or plasma zinc, dietary information, symptoms, and other relevant tests.
Short name
24-Hour Urine Zinc
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to fast for a 24-hour urine zinc test?
Can supplements affect my urine zinc result?
What does a high or low urine zinc level mean?
Sources
- 1
- 2Lab Tests OnlineSource
- 3
Click any link to access the full source. PubMed Central (PMC) links provide free full-text access.
This information is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
This content is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the guidance of a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you have about a medical condition, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you read here.
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your local emergency number or go to the nearest emergency department immediately.
Medically reviewed by WellAlly Editorial Team Last reviewed August 16, 2026. · Read our editorial policy