The body cannot function without this heavy metal. It's a mineral essential to the synthesis of DNA and RNA, of proteins, insulin and sperm. The body needs zinc, too, to metabolize carbohydrates, fats, protein and alcohol; to dispose of carbon dioxide; to make good use of vitamin a. More than seventy different enzymes require zinc to do their appointed work. And that's not all. Zinc bolsters the immune system and makes wounds heal faster. It's integral to the growth and maintenance of body tissues; it plays a major role in the development of fetuses and the growth of children.