Zinc Supplements
See Zinc and Zinc Homeostasis
Videos
How to Supplement with Zinc
How to manage the zinc-to-copper ratio.
Supplement Timing and Food Combining for Zinc?
How to Kill a Cold With Zinc
Benefits for Healthy Sleep
Solutions to getting nauseated from zinc supplements?
How much time should separate my zinc supplements and nut consumption?
Is the sugar in Life Extension Enhanced Zinc Acetate lozenges a problem?
Zinc for Heavy Metals
Why I DON’T Recommend Zinc Picolinate
Getting Zinc and Copper Into the Nose, Mouth, and Throat
Use zinc chelate or liposomal zinc supplements, as this allows it into the cell. No need for an ionophore. Taking zinc supplements is only beneficial in correcting a deficiency that may be present. If you're taking zinc but are not zinc deficient, it doesn't have much benefit (except in diabetes)
DOSE: Stay between 5-15mg of elemental zinc. Unfortunately, most zinc supplements don't list the amount of elemental zinc in their product. They list the overall compound. Most supplements contain zinc molecules attached to things like proteins. Zinc gluconate is roughly 25% elemental zinc. To dose properly you want to divide the total listed ingredients by 1/4 to determine the elemental zinc content.
Taking too much can cause deficiencies in other minerals, especially copper.
On the first day of a cold, 75mg (overall compound) is reported to reduce the length of time
It's recommended to take zinc by itself or with quercetin...on an empty stomach.
Zinc supplementation attenuates cardiac remodelling after experimental myocardial infarction.
Zinc supplementation and an improved quality of life in patients with autoimmune hepatitis.
Comparative absorption of zinc picolinate, zinc citrate and zinc gluconate in humans.
The comparative absorption of zinc after oral administration of three different complexed forms was studied in 15 healthy human volunteers in a double-blind four-period crossover trial. The individuals were randomly divided into four groups. Each group rotated for four week periods through a random sequence of oral supplementation including: zinc picolinate, zinc citrate, and zinc gluconate (equivalent to 50 mg elemental zinc per day) and placebo. Zinc was measured in hair, urine, erythrocyte and serum before and after each period. At the end of four weeks hair, urine and erythrocyte zinc levels rose significantly (p less than 0.005, p less than 0.001, and p less than 0.001) during zinc picolinate administration. There was no significant change in any of these parameters from zinc gluconate, zinc citrate or placebo administration. There was a small, insignificant rise in serum zinc during zinc picolinate, zinc citrate and placebo supplementation. The results of this study suggest that zinc absorption in humans can be improved by complexing zinc with picolinic acid.
DOSE:
We need about 20mg a day, 45 mg is considered a maximum supplemental dose. The body holds about 120mg and we loose about 20mg every day. In ejaculation about 5 mg is lost.
Keep under 45mg a day, however, on the first day of a cold, 75mg is reported to reduce the length of time.