Zinc: Overview, Benefits, and Foods
Key takeaways:
Most people get enough zinc from their diet. But for people who have a zinc deficiency, zinc supplements of up to 40 mg per day are generally safe.
Taking zinc lozenges and syrups can’t prevent you from getting a cold, but it might shorten your symptoms. You have to start taking them as soon as you feel sick for them to work, though.
Taking too much zinc can cause long-term side effects including low copper levels and lowered immunity.
Table of contents
What is zinc?
Zinc is a micronutrient, or vitamin, that plays several important roles in the body. It helps with:
Wound healing
Skin health
Immune system function
Zinc also helps make proteins and DNA, the building blocks of all our organs. So getting enough zinc is particularly important for young children who need to do a lot of growing.
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Because zinc plays so many important roles, researchers have been studying whether zinc supplements can help fight off illnesses, including symptoms of the common cold and stomach flu like diarrhea. Studies show there are benefits, especially for certain groups of people.
Zinc: Sources and supplements
Most people get enough zinc from their daily diets. That’s because many grains, like breads and cereals, have added zinc and other important vitamins. Other natural sources of zinc include:
Oysters
Crab
Lobster
Beef
Beans
Pumpkin seeds
Yogurt
Zinc supplements are sold as lozenges and pills. Zinc supplements are available in many forms, including:
Zinc gluconate
Zinc sulfate
Zinc acetate
It’s not clear if one form is better than another.
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Zinc is still sometimes available as a nasal spray or gel. But studies show that some people who used these products lost their sense of smell. So, it’s probably best to avoid this form.
Zinc supplement dosing
In general, dosing can vary. But, in many cases:
Male adults need 11 mg of zinc each day
Female adults need 8 mg to 9 mg of zinc each day
Females need less zinc because they are usually smaller than males. Children and adolescents need less zinc each day because of their body size.
Common uses for zinc supplements
Zinc supplements are commonly used for people who might have trouble absorbing zinc. This includes people who:
Had a gastric bypass
Have medical conditions that affect the digestive system, like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis
Have medical conditions that affect the pancreas
Infants older than 6 months who are only breastfeeding and not eating any solids can also get zinc deficiency.
Zinc supplements can prevent zinc deficiency for people at risk. Zinc deficiency can lead to:
Trouble with wound healing
Night blindness
Rashes and skin problems
Infertility in males
Trouble with growth and development (for children)
For people who don’t have zinc deficiency, zinc supplements might help:
Shorten cold symptoms
Shorten stomach-flu symptoms (specifically diarrhea)
Slow down age-related macular degeneration
Prevent pneumonia in children
Zinc supplements don’t seem to:
Prevent age-related macular degeneration
Help children grow if they don’t have zinc deficiency
The science behind zinc supplements
Many people use zinc lozenges when they feel a cold or virus coming on. There is some data showing that taking zinc lozenges or syrup as soon as a cold starts can make your symptoms go away faster. It’s not clear how much zinc you need to take to get this benefit.
Scientists tried to see if zinc supplements could speed up wound healing. Studies show that for people who don’t get enough zinc each day, taking a supplement could help leg ulcers heal. But the same isn’t true for people who get enough zinc each day. For this group of people, taking zinc supplements didn’t help their leg ulcers heal.
Zinc supplements have also been studied to see if they can prevent age-related macular degeneration. Studies showed that zinc didn’t prevent this condition. But there is some data showing that, for certain people, zinc supplements can keep macular degeneration from getting worse.
Zinc supplement interactions
Zinc supplements may interact with some medications and supplements. Taking zinc supplements can cause certain medications not to work as well. In other cases, some medications can prevent zinc supplements from being absorbed and worsen a zinc deficiency.
Some medications that don’t work as well when taken with zinc supplements include:
Penicillamine (Depen)
Copper supplements (only those with high amounts of zinc)
Some medications that can prevent the body from absorbing zinc include:
Thiazide diuretics, like chlorthalidone (Hygroton) and hydrochlorothiazide (Microzide)
Large amounts of iron supplements (greater than 25 mg of elemental iron)
Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, like lisinopril (Prinivil)
Two antibiotic classes — quinolones and tetracyclines — can also interact with zinc. These include ciprofloxacin (Cipro) and tetracycline. These antibiotic classes are unique because, when they’re taken with zinc, the body has trouble absorbing both the zinc and antibiotic. To avoid this interaction, take the antibiotic at least 2 hours before a zinc supplement. Or, take the antibiotic 4 to 6 hours after taking zinc.
Zinc supplement side effects
If you take more than the recommended amount of zinc (40 mg of elemental zinc), long-term side effects can occur. High daily amounts of zinc can lower the amount of copper and high-density lipoproteins (good cholesterol) in your body. It can also change how iron functions in your body and lower immunity.
Safety of zinc supplements
If you take a high dose of zinc, you might feel sick soon after. This is called acute toxicity. You might experience stomach pain, nausea, and diarrhea.
Acute toxicity can be avoided by making sure you don’t take too much zinc. Unless you’re being treated by a healthcare provider, stick to the recommended amount of zinc per day. If you or your child accidentally ingest too much zinc, call the Poison Control phone number immediately at (800) 222-1222.
FAQs
It’s OK to take zinc daily as long as you take a safe amount. You shouldn’t take more than 40 mg per day — including zinc from your diet as well as supplements. Check the label for the words “elemental form.” This will tell you how much zinc is in the supplement. This amount varies depending on what brand you use.
People who use dentures should be careful about using zinc supplements. That’s because some dental adhesives have zinc in them. So adding extra zinc, in the form of supplements, can cause toxic levels of zinc in the body.
If you use denture adhesive, check the ingredients label for “zinc” and consider switching to a product without zinc — especially if you use more than 4 ounces of adhesive in a week.
Disclaimer: The FDA does not test supplements for safety and effectiveness. Supplements can contain harmful substances. They can also affect how your medications work. Always speak with your healthcare provider before taking any supplement.
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References
Dutta, S. K., et al. (1998). Zinc metabolism in patients with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. Journal of the American College of Nutrition.
Heinig, M. J., et al. (2006). Zinc supplementation does not affect growth, morbidity, or motor development of U.S. term breastfed infants at 4-10 mo of age. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Lassi, Z. S., et al. (2016). Zinc supplementation for the prevention of pneumonia in children aged 2 months to 59 months. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.
National Institutes of Health. (2021). Zinc fact sheet for consumers.
National Institutes of Health. (2021). Zinc fact sheet for healthcare professionals.
Olechnowicz, J., et al. (2018). Zinc status is associated with inflammation, oxidative stress, lipid, and glucose metabolism. The Journal of Physiological Sciences.
Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man. (2022). Acrodermatitis enteropathica, zinc-deficiency type; AEZ.
Prasad, A. S., et al. (1978). Hypocupremia induced by zinc therapy in adults. JAMA.
Ruz, M., et al. (2011). Zinc absorption and zinc status are reduced after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: A randomized study using 2 supplements. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2022). What you need to know about dietary supplements.
Wilkinson, E. A., et al. (2000). Oral zinc for arterial and venous leg ulcers. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.
