You’ve heard the saying — too much of a good thing can be bad for you.

That’s certainly true of zinc. This mineral supports neurological and reproductive health, but most men and women need less than 10 milligrams per day.

Doctors sometimes prescribe oral zinc supplements to correct low zinc levels.

However, long-term overconsumption of zinc can interfere with copper uptake and lead to copper deficiency, putting the patient at risk of serious neurological problems. So zinc therapy should be monitored carefully.

A study published recently in the Journal of Clinical Pathology indicates that some doctors might not be aware of the hazards that accompany zinc.

In the study, reviewers analyzed medical records for about 50 patients in two Scottish hospitals who were prescribed zinc supplements between the years 2000 and 2010.

The reviewers concluded that many of these patients did not need the supplements. Instead, the symptoms indicated that these patients had low zinc levels due to underlying health conditions such as systemic inflammatory response.

Furthermore, nine of the patients who didn’t need zinc supplements began showing symptoms consistent with copper deficiency.

That’s not proof that zinc was causing the problems, of course.

The files didn’t say how long these patients stayed on zinc therapy. Most of the files said very little about zinc at all. The study findings suggest that some doctors may have been lulled into a false sense of security about zinc and don’t realize that it can have adverse effects.

The reviewers suggested that greater outreach is needed to ensure that doctors know zinc overconsumption can be dangerous.

Sounds like a good idea.

So, let’s the word go out — too much zinc could actually sink your good health.