Zinc is an essential trace element that you need to consume in small quantities with your meals or diet. If you cannot get your zinc dosage from the foods you eat, you can turn to the best form of zinc supplement that works for you.
Before buying your zinc supplements, it is best to understand the different forms of the mineral there are; this will help you buy a supplement your body will easily absorb. Depending on your level of zinc deficiency, you can choose from any of these forms;
- Zinc gluconate
- Zinc sulfate
- Zinc acetate
- Zinc picolinate
- Zinc citrate
- Zinc orotate
When you intend to take zinc supplements with more discipline, you can find the mineral in several ingestion forms, such as zinc tablets, zinc lozenges, zinc mineral drops, and zinc capsules. The only form of zinc you will need to avoid is nasal sprays that could lead to more complicated conditions such as loss of smell.
With the many benefits of taking zinc with your diet, you need a way to make sure you get the right amount for your immune system daily or as your doctor recommends. These are some of the best supplements to buy.
In a hurry?
This is our Winner!
Best Form of Zinc Supplement
Rank | Product Image | Product Name | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|
1 |  | ||
2 |
| | |
3 |
| | |
4 |
| | |
5 |
| |
Best Form of Zinc Supplement - Reviews
Nature's Bounty is one of the best companies you can buy any supplement from, including the best zinc supplements.
You can get the supplement in two value packs, one with 100 50 mg caplets or a pack of 250 50mg caplets. Each caplet contains a blend of zinc as zinc gluconate, vegetable cellulose, and Dicalcium Phosphate, among other healthy ingredients.
The caplets are also GMO-free, gluten-free, and do not contain artificial sweeteners or colors. With gluconate as the main ingredient, this supplement is easily absorbable. The caplets are easy to administer and swallow for adults; only take one caplet daily with your meals.
Pros
Cons
If you do not fancy swallowing your best zinc supplements as pills, you can always look to liquid supplements for better ingestion. This supplement from NutraChamps is designed as ionic concentrated mineral drops for men, women, and even young children.
The supplement features zinc sulfate as the main ingredient. Other ingredients include Vitamin C( Ascorbic Acid), organic glycerin, and purified water.
The supplement is GMO-free, gluten-free, and also does not contain artificial colors or sweeteners. In addition, it is vegan, thus best for you if you follow a plant-based diet.
This supplement is best when you need to boost your immune system and help reduce poor skin health symptoms. The only downside to it is that zinc sulfate can be more difficult to absorb than other zinc forms.
However, it is the easiest to ingest even for children; you can add the appropriate dosage to a glass of water or add the drops to your mouth and swallow.
Pros
Cons
One thing you might keep in mind is that the best sources of zinc are animal products such as shellfish, red meat, and more. Thus, you may be unsure how to add zinc to your vegan diet. This Garden of Life supplement comes in capsule form and is wholly derived from plants.
It does not contain any trace of soy, dairy, shellfish, or other animal products. However, it is also manufactured in a facility the handles animal products.
Each capsule contains a blend of fruit and vegetable extracts, probiotics, trace minerals, enzymes, and more vegan-friendly ingredients for a 30 mg of zinc and Vitamin C dose.
The supplement comes as an easily absorbable powder housed in a vegan capsule. It is easy to administer for adults; Garden of Life recommends two capsules daily taken with meals. If you don't fancy swallowing the capsules, you can open them to pout the powder in drinks such as water and juice.
Pros
Cons
If you need a great source of antioxidants, this supplement from Solgar also works great for skin and general immune health. According to the manufacturer, it supports cell growth and also DNA formation, thus, exactly what you need to fight acne and other skin problems.
The bottle comes with 100 tablets and is also available in another value pack containing 250 tablets. Each 22mg tablet contains zinc glycinate amino acid chelate, vegetable stearic acid, Dicalcium phosphate, and vegetable cellulose, among other ingredients.
It is the best zinc supplement for vegan and kosher diets. It is gluten-free, yeast-free, GMO-free, and dairy-free. In addition, the tablets are housed in a recyclable amber glass bottle for sustainability.
You will only need to take a tablet of this highly absorbable zinc supplement each day.
Pros
Cons
Maybe you dislike capsules, tablets, hard-to-administer drops, and other forms of zinc supplements. If you are yet to try chewables, it is time to give this Zahler supplement a try.
The chewables contain a blend of zinc citrate and gluconate, stearic acid, and elderberry fruit powder to form a healthy, tasty zinc supplement everyone, including young children, will love.
Each container comes with 90 25mg lozenges that are ideal for the kosher diet. In addition, the lozenges are non-GMO, gluten-free, and dairy-free.
Pros
Cons
What to Look for In the Best Zinc Supplements
When buying your best zinc supplements, the following factors need to influence your purchase;
a) Form
It would help if you got a zinc supplement that the body will easily absorb. As zinc is naturally hard to digest, manufacturers make it more bioavailable by attaching it to other substances, a process called chelation.
Your best zinc supplements can be chelated with orotic acid, fermented glucose, citric acid, acetic acid, picolinic acid, and more organic and amino acids. Bioavailable zinc is easier for the body to absorb and, thus, better for all elemental zinc benefits.
When buying these bioavailable zinc supplements, you can look for products labeled as;
- Zinc orotate supplements
- Zinc gluconate supplements
- Zinc acetate supplements
- Zinc picolinate supplemets
Alternatively, you can also find inorganic zinc supplements; they are harder to absorb but also more affordable. They are mostly taken orally or through an injection. The most common inorganic zinc supplements are
- Zinc sulfate
- Zinc oxide
b) Type
As a supplement you need to ingest occasionally, you will need to make sure it is easy to administer. As such, you need to pick the best type of supplement from;
- Tablets
- Mineral drops
- Chewables and lozenges
- Capsules and zinc powder forms
- Pills
While it is possible to find a zinc nasal spray to help with colds and allergies, this type of zinc supplement may leave you with challenges smelling in the future.
c) Dosage
It is vital that you get a supplement with a daily value dosage for men, women, and children. It is also best to remember that most dosages are defined for people who are zinc deficient, so it is best to talk to your healthcare provider to learn your ideal zinc intake to prevent zinc deficiency.
Taking high doses of zinc can inhibit copper absorption, while low dosages will not be effective for your dietary needs.
Benefits of Taking Zinc Supplements
The main reason you need a healthy zinc intake, and thus zinc supplementation, is to prevent or reverse zinc deficiency. As with all supplements, you will need a doctor's opinion to tell whether a zinc supplement is ideal for you.
Here are some scenarios that can indicate the need for zinc supplementation.
- Decreased immune function
- Severe diarrhea
- For wound healing
- Digestive disorders
- Chronic liver disease
- Wilson disease that leaves you with excess copper in your system
- Severe acne and other skin conditions
- Vision problems and age-related macular degeneration (AMD)
- Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Common cold symptoms
- For blood sugar control people with diabetes, or pregnant women
- Gingivitis and bad breath
- Inability to taste
- Sickle cell disease
Possible Side Effects of Taking a Zinc Supplement
It is best only to take zinc when your doctor recommends it. As an essential micronutrient for your dietary supplements, you will need expert guidance not to end up taking too much zinc. The following are some of the main side effects zinc supplementation could cause if not done properly.
- Zinc toxicity and copper deficiency if you orally take more than 40 mg of zinc daily
- Fever, stomach pain, coughing, and fatigue when overdosed
- Nausea
- Metallic taste in the mouth
- Diarrhea
- Loss of smelling abilities when inhaled as a spray
- Itching, stinging, tingling, and burning sensation when you apply it as a cream
- Poor immune function if used for many years daily
Precautions when taking the best zinc supplement
While supplemental zinc is safe for people of all ages, you need to be careful when ingesting it to prevent having more than enough zinc in your system. You need more caution if you are;
- Pregnant or breastfeeding
- Have kidney disease
- Dealing with alcoholism
- Are a vegetarian
For best results using zinc, your doctor may use a serum zinc concentration biomarker to determine your ideal dosage.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Best Form of Zinc Supplement
a) Do I need a Zinc Supplement?
Zink is an essential mineral required by your body for better immune function. It is needed in small amounts and is mostly found in animal products such as red meat and shellfish.
If, for a reason, you cannot get the required amounts of zinc from these foods, you can use a supplement containing various forms like zinc picolinate, zinc acetate, and more.
Taking the supplement will help prevent or treat zinc deficiency which could lead to conditions such as acute diarrhea, short stature, inability to taste, and more.
b) Which is the most easily absorbed zinc form?
Zinc picolinate is the easiest to absorb. The supplement is chelated with picolinic acid and will help you fight zinc deficiency for the strongest immune system.
c) What is my Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for Zinc?
Generally, zinc dosages are recommended with age and gender in mind.
For adult males, the recommended dose is eleven milligrams a day. For adult women, the recommended dose is 8 mg of zinc a day.
However, this recommended dosage could change when an adult woman is pregnant or breastfeeding to require 12 milligrams daily.
If you are diagnosed with mild zinc deficiency, the doctor may even recommend you double the RDA for six months to improve your zinc absorption.
d) Should I take supplemental zinc if I'm on other medication?
If you are on other medication, you can only take zinc with the guidance of your doctor as it interacts moderately with some types of medicines. Some of the medicines this essential nutrient moderately interacts with include antibiotics, diuretics, and arthritis drugs.
