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Zinc

Zinc (Zn)

Minerals. Modern nutrition.

Also called Zinc gluconate, Zinc sulfate, Zinc picolinate, Zinc acetate

Pinyin: xīn

Spanish: Zinc

Copper loss with long use

A mineral needed by more than 300 enzymes. It supports wound healing, immune cells, taste and smell, and cell growth.

Did you know? Zinc deficiency was first described in people in 1961, in young men in Iran who were short and had delayed sexual development. Zinc pills corrected the problem.

What it may help, and how strong the proof is

Colds, flu & immunity. Zinc lozenges started within a day of cold symptoms may shorten colds by about a day in some trials. Results vary by product and dose. Zinc does not prevent colds for most people.
Early proof
Skin. Some trials of zinc pills for acne found modest help. Results are mixed, and zinc is not a reliable acne treatment on its own.
Early proof
Wounds, burns & bites. Zinc helps wounds heal in people who are low in zinc. In people with normal levels, extra zinc has not been shown to speed healing.
Early proof

Parts of the body

Immune system, Skin & hair

Traditional use

Oysters have long been praised as a strength food in Europe and the Americas. Part of that reputation may come from their high zinc, though the folk claims go well beyond the proof.

How it is classified

Herbal actions: Nutritive, Immune balancer. Energy: neutral.

How people take it

Adults need 11 mg a day for men and 8 mg a day for women (RDA). Pregnant women need 11 mg a day, and breastfeeding women need 12 mg a day. The upper limit is 40 mg a day from food and pills. Cold lozenges usually hold about 10 to 25 mg of zinc.

Food, lozenge, tablet and capsule.

Where to get it

Good sources are oysters (by far the richest), beef, lamb, crab and lobster, pork, chicken, fortified breakfast cereals, beans, lentils, chickpeas, pumpkin seeds, cashews, yogurt and cheese. Grains and beans contain phytates that block zinc absorption. Pills come as zinc gluconate, sulfate, acetate and picolinate, and as lozenges.

Be careful

Zinc from food is safe. High pill doses can cause nausea, vomiting, stomach pain and headache. Long-term high doses can cause copper deficiency, which can lead to anemia and nerve problems. Zinc nasal sprays and gels have caused lasting loss of smell in some people, so avoid them.

Avoid if: copper deficiency; zinc nasal sprays (smell loss).

Mixing with other things

Works well together
Zinc helps the body move stored vitamin A from the liver into the blood.
Works well together
Pumpkin seeds are a food source of zinc and magnesium.
Use caution
Zinc and iron compete for absorption. Very high zinc doses can lower iron uptake.
Use caution
Antibiotics (doxycycline, Cipro and similar)
Zinc binds quinolone and tetracycline antibiotics and lowers how much they absorb. Take them 2 to 4 hours apart.
Use caution
Long-term high zinc lowers copper absorption. Take copper with long-term zinc.

Found in these formulas

Cold-season kit (Modern)

The honest take

Zinc is essential, and low zinc is common in some poor countries and in some people with gut disease. Lozenges may shorten a cold a little, but results vary and high doses cause problems. Zinc nasal sprays can cause lasting smell loss, so avoid them.