Zinc

Forms of zinc compared

The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements reports that absorption from zinc citrate and zinc gluconate is similar, at about 61% in young adults, and about 50% from zinc oxide. Comparable figures for every form are not available, so we do not rank them.

Chelate means the zinc is bound to an amino acid. In zinc bisglycinate it is attached to two molecules of glycine, the same principle as in iron bisglycinate. Picolinate and gluconate are compounds with organic acids.

Reading a zinc label

Look for three lines: the zinc in mg per daily dose, its % NRV, and the number of tablets or capsules in that dose. The form is named in brackets, for example zinc (as zinc bisglycinate). If the label gives only the weight of the compound, the elemental zinc is lower, so compare the line marked zinc.

Reading the dose

A zinc label states the elemental zinc, not the weight of the whole compound. The EU NRV is 10 mg, so:

If you take a multivitamin or a hair formula with zinc as well, add the amounts together and keep to the daily doses on the labels.

Zinc in food

NIH ODS names oysters as the richest food source of zinc, followed by red meat and poultry; beans, nuts, whole grains and fortified breakfast cereals also contain it. Phytates in whole grains and legumes bind zinc and reduce how much is absorbed, which is why plant-based diets are discussed separately in the questions below.

Zinc and iron

According to NIH ODS, taking supplements with 25 mg of iron or more at the same time as zinc can reduce zinc absorption. If you use both, take them at different times of day, for example iron in the morning and zinc in the evening. More on timing is in our guide to iron supplements. Selenium and zinc together, and the products that combine them, are covered on the selenium page.

Price per day

Most zinc products here are one tablet or capsule a day. Some blends spread the dose over two. We calculate the price per day from the daily dose on the label, so compare that figure rather than the pack price.

EU health claims for zinc

Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 permits these statements for products that provide at least 15% of the NRV per daily dose:

• Zinc contributes to the normal function of the immune system.
• Zinc contributes to the maintenance of normal skin.
• Zinc contributes to the maintenance of normal hair.
• Zinc contributes to the maintenance of normal nails.

Questions

Which zinc should I choose?

The EU claims apply to zinc in any form. Compare the zinc per daily dose, the number of tablets or capsules and the price per day.

When should I take zinc?

Follow the label. Keep zinc apart from an iron supplement of 25 mg or more, and from meals rich in whole grains or beans if you can. Otherwise pick a time you will remember every day.

Is 50 mg of zinc a lot?

50 mg is five times the NRV. Take no more than the daily dose stated on the label, and count the zinc from any other products you use.

Bisglycinate or picolinate?

Both bind zinc to an organic molecule. Our 15 mg products in both forms give 150% of the NRV, so price per day is a fair way to decide.

Can I take zinc with biotin or a hair formula?

Yes, but many hair formulas already contain zinc. Add the zinc from every product and stay within the daily doses on the labels.

Tablet or capsule?

Both carry the same zinc. Choose the format you find easier to swallow and compare the price per day.

Do vegetarians need more zinc?

NIH ODS notes that vegetarians may need up to 50% more zinc than the recommended intake, because phytates in plant foods reduce absorption.

Sources

• Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, Annex XIII (reference intakes)
• Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 (permitted health claims)
• NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Zinc fact sheet
• EFSA: Health claims

Content reviewed by Inese Kalniņa, dietitian.

2026-09-14