Zinc is an essential mineral. The body needs it for hundreds of enzymes, immune function, protein and DNA synthesis, wound healing and the sense of taste. As a supplement it is used to cover low intake, and zinc lozenges are used for colds.
Also known as: zinc picolinate, zinc gluconate, zinc bisglycinate.
ODS lists a Recommended Dietary Allowance of 11 mg a day for men and 8 mg for women (19 and up), 11 mg in pregnancy and 12 mg while breastfeeding. The Tolerable Upper Intake Level for adults is 40 mg a day. Supplement labels list elemental zinc, not the weight of the whole compound.
It is sold in the US as a dietary supplement. Under the 1994 dietary supplement law (DSHEA), FDA does not approve dietary supplements before they are marketed, and the maker, not FDA, is responsible for safety and labeling. There is no FDA-approved zinc pill for general use.
ODS says doses of 50 mg or more for weeks can interfere with copper absorption (leading to low copper), reduce immune function and lower HDL cholesterol; high intakes can also cause nausea, vomiting, headaches and loss of appetite. Zinc binds quinolone antibiotics (such as Cipro) and tetracyclines: ODS says to take the antibiotic at least 2 hours before or 4 to 6 hours after zinc. Take zinc and penicillamine at least 1 hour apart. Thiazide diuretics increase zinc loss in urine, and iron supplements of 25 mg or more taken at the same time can lower zinc absorption. Absorption from zinc citrate or gluconate is about 61%, and from zinc oxide about 50%.
We could not find a single published half-life or time to peak for zinc that applies to a supplement dose, so we do not list one. Blood zinc is tightly controlled, so a supplement dose does not show up as a clear curve.
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