Mineral
Zinc
Also known as: Zn, Zinc ion, ZMA, Zinc (Wound Healing)
Essential mineral critical for immune cell development and function. Can reduce duration of common cold when taken at onset.
Daily target & upper limit
11 mg / day · UL 40 mgZinc has an established daily reference intake. See best forms, label synonyms, upper-limit warnings, and top-scoring supplements:
Zinc dosage reference →Primary uses
- Depression support
- Immune function
- Taste/smell
- Testosterone
- Recovery
- Protein synthesis
- Wound healing
- Tissue repair
- Surgery recovery
- Cold/flu support
- Immune cell function
- Thyroid hormone metabolism
How it works
- Cofactor for 300+ enzymes
- Immune cell function
- DNA synthesis
- Protein metabolism
Dosage
- Typical range
- 15-30mg daily
- Timing
- With food
- With food
- Yes, reduces nausea
- Duration
- Long-term at moderate doses
- Special populations
- Vegetarians often need more
Forms
- Zinc picolinate
- Zinc glycinate
- Picolinate/glycinate
- ZMA
- Picolinate
- Gluconate
- Zinc gluconate lozenges
- Zinc acetate
- Zinc citrate
- With copper
- Citrate
Safety
Common side effects
- Nausea if empty stomach
Contraindications
- None at normal doses
Products containing Zinc
Top-scoring supplements in our catalog that list Zinc on the label. Each product is graded on Formulate's ingredient-level rubric — dose accuracy, form, transparency, and third-party testing.
Known interactions
- Warningwith copper
Zinc depletes copper over time
- Cautionwith iron
Zinc and iron compete for absorption
- Cautionwith calcium
Calcium may reduce zinc absorption
- Infowith magnesium
High-dose magnesium may slightly reduce zinc absorption
- Synergywith quercetin
Quercetin acts as zinc ionophore
- Synergywith vitamin a
Zinc needed for vitamin A metabolism
Evidence notes
Essential mineral with strong immune and healing evidence
Grade A: Multiple well-designed human trials support the main claims.
Cited research for Zinc
Clinical studies referenced across Formulate guides that mention zinc. Each links to the full study page with PubMed source + the guides that cite it.
- Hemilä H (2017)JRSM Open
Zinc lozenges and the common cold: a meta-analysis comparing zinc acetate and zinc gluconate, and the role of zinc dosage
- Singh M, Das RR (2013)Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
Oral zinc for the common cold (Cochrane Review)
- Willis et al. (2005)American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Zinc-induced copper deficiency: a report of three cases initially recognized on bone marrow examination
Related in Mineral
Check a full stack
Formulate's free interaction checker lets you paste in any combination of supplements and medications at once — every pairing flags severity, timing, and cited evidence.
Open the checkerMedical disclaimer. This page is educational and does not replace advice from a qualified healthcare provider.