mineral
Zinc supplements
Half of the 13,186 zinc supplements in the NIH label database that print an amount list 11 mg or less per serving; the middle half list 5 mg to 15 mg, and 1 in 17 of the 13,065 with a plausible amount give more than the adult upper limit at the most servings their labels direct (DSLD version 9.4.0, January 2026). The 418 products whose only supplement ingredient is zinc list a median of 30 mg, and 44% of them give more than the upper limit.
- Products listing it
- 13,75113,186 print an amount; 371 list it inside a blend without an amount
- Median per serving
- 11 mgmiddle half 5 mg to 15 mg
- FDA Daily Value
- 11 mgthe median is 100% of it
- Adult upper limit (IOM)
- 40 mg786 products go above it a day
How much zinc do supplements contain?
The median product lists 11 mg per serving. One in ten lists 2.2 mg or less, one in ten 30 mg or more. The amount printed most often is 15 mg (2,885 products).
Products by amount of zinc per serving
13,372 products, log scale; extreme 0.2% at each end left out of the drawing.
Source: Supplement Facts rows of every product's current label, NIH ODS Dietary Supplement Label Database version 9.4.0; amounts in one measure (weight).
How do the amounts compare with the Daily Value and the upper limit?
The FDA Daily Value for zinc is 11 mg (adults and children 4 and older). The median product gives 100% of it per serving; the 90th percentile 273%.
The adult Tolerable Upper Intake Level is 40 mg a day (total intake from food, water and supplements). At the most servings their labels direct, 786 of the 13,065 products with a plausible amount (6.0%) give more than that from the supplement alone (what counts as plausible).
The upper limit is for total intake from food, water and supplements unless stated, and does not apply under medical supervision. A label amount is what the maker printed. This is data, not advice: the NIH ODS fact sheets explain what each nutrient does.
Sources: 21 CFR 101.9(c)(8)(iv) (Daily Values); Institute of Medicine, DRI summary tables (2011) (upper limits); on reading them, the FDA's Daily Value page.
Which forms of zinc do labels name?
Zinc oxide is the form named most often: 2,798 of the 13,751 zinc products (20%), ahead of zinc citrate (2,614, 19%) and zinc gluconate (1,509, 11%). A product naming two forms counts in both; the table below gives every form.
Products by the form of zinc on the label
Count, and the median amount per serving in that form.
| Form | Products | Share of zinc products | Median per serving |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zinc oxide | 2,798 | 20% | 15 mg |
| Zinc citrate | 2,614 | 19% | 10 mg |
| Zinc gluconate | 1,509 | 11% | 10 mg |
| Zinc glycinate | 1,215 | 9% | 13 mg |
| Zinc picolinate | 720 | 5% | 15 mg |
| Zinc sulfate | 508 | 4% | 10 mg |
| Zinc monomethionine | 436 | 3% | 15 mg |
| Zinc carnosine | 61 | under 1% | 14.5 mg |
| Zinc acetate | 38 | under 1% | 16.88 mg |
Source: the form each label gives for its zinc row (DSLD "forms"), current labels.
Which products list the most zinc?
On-market products, per serving, with a plausible amount: the rule leaves out likely entry slips, such as an amount far beyond every other label with no %DV or strength on the label to back it (each product page still shows its own amount, marked).
- Vita-Glan-FDouglas Laboratories100 mg
- Vita-Glan-MDouglas Laboratories100 mg
- Vita-M ForteDouglas Laboratories100 mg
- Zinc 50 mgIndiana Botanic Gardens100 mg
- Premium Immune SupportNutrivein100 mg
- Zinc Complex 100 mgMicro Ingredients100 mg
- OnSetNB Pure100 mg
- Zinc 100 mgNature's Blend100 mg
Have the amounts changed over the years?
Products whose current label entered DSLD in 2011 list a median of 15 mg; those entered in 2025, 11 mg.
| Year | Products | Median per serving |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 244 | 15 mg |
| 2012 | 786 | 15 mg |
| 2013 | 1,006 | 15 mg |
| 2014 | 567 | 11 mg |
| 2015 | 555 | 10 mg |
| 2016 | 538 | 11 mg |
| 2017 | 608 | 15 mg |
| 2018 | 502 | 10 mg |
| 2019 | 645 | 10 mg |
| 2020 | 1,199 | 10 mg |
| 2021 | 1,294 | 10 mg |
| 2022 | 1,453 | 11 mg |
| 2023 | 1,338 | 10 mg |
| 2024 | 1,446 | 10 mg |
| 2025 | 1,191 | 11 mg |
Source: DSLD label entry dates and amounts, current labels.
In which products and brands?
Products listing zinc by DSLD product type
Brands listing it most: Nature's Way (300), Douglas Laboratories (255), Nature's Plus (218), NOW (95), Bronson (94), Metagenics (82), Pure Encapsulations (79), Rainbow Light (77), XYMOGEN (75), Puritan's Pride (74).
Every product listing zinc
13,751 products, A to Z by name (page 188 of 276), each with the amount its label prints; an amount far outside what other labels print is marked as a possible slip.
- Prenatal Plus VitaminsPatrin Pharma25 mg
- Prenatal Precious Gems Delicious Orange Zest FlavorRainbow Light · off the market3 mg
- Prenatal ProDesigns for Health20 mg
- Prenatal SAPNFH25 mg
- Prenatal SupportWindmill10 mg
- Prenatal Support Prenatal VitaminsKroger25 mg
- Prenatal SupremeAdaptogen Research20 mg
- Prenatal TabletEsmond Natural20 mg
- Prenatal TabletsLongs Wellness · off the market25 mg
- Prenatal TabletsMajor25 mg
- Prenatal Triple Power MultivitaminsSuper Nutrition SimplyOne · off the market32 mg
- Prenatal Ultra Blend PremiumNatural Goal · off the market15 mg
- Prenatal Vitamin & Mineral FormulaSundown Naturals25 mg
- Prenatal Vitamin & Mineral FormulaNatural Wealth25 mg
- Prenatal Vitamin GummyDr. Tobias3.8 mg
- Prenatal Vitamin TabletsMajor Pharmaceuticals25 mg
- Prenatal VitaminsSafeway Care · off the market25 mg
- Prenatal VitaminsFinest Nutrition25 mg
- Prenatal VitaminsHealthy Accents25 mg
- Prenatal VitaminsDG Health25 mg
- Prenatal VitaminsSmart Sense25 mg
- Prenatal VitaminsDrFormulas15 mg
- Prenatal VitaminsSignature Care25 mg
- Prenatal VitaminsRugby25 mg
- Prenatal VitaminsCVS Health25 mg
- Prenatal VitaminsCentral Texas Community Health Centers25 mg
- Prenatal VitaminsBasic Vitamins25 mg
- Prenatal VitaminsSunmark25 mg
- Prenatal VitaminsPuritan's Pride25 mg
- Prenatal Vitaminsup&up25 mg
- PreNatal Vitamins PlusBoca Pharmacal25 mg
- Prenatal Vitamins PlusNnodum Pharmaceuticals25 mg
- Prenatal Vitamins PlusZIKS Nnodum Pharmaceuticals25 mg
- Prenatal Vitamins Plus Low Iron Multi StrengthPatrin Pharma25 mg
- Prenatal Vitamins Plus Low Iron TabletsPatrin Pharma25 mg
- Prenatal Vitamins With MineralsShopRite25 mg
- Prenatal Vitamins with MineralsFamily Wellness25 mg
- Prenatal With DHAVitaCeutical Labs15 mg
- Prenatal With DHAVitamer Laboratories15 mg
- Prenatal With DHAGNC Women's15 mg
- PreNatal with Folic Acid21st Century25 mg
- Prenatal with Folic AcidMeijer25 mg
- Prenatal with IronGNC Women's15 mg
- Prenatal with Vegan DHA plus ProbioticsGreens First Female10 mg
- Prenatal Women's Essentials + Folic Acid 800 mcgSundance Vitamins15 mg
- Prenatal+DHA 100Zahler15 mg
- Prenatal+DHA 250Zahler11 mg
- PrenatalgynAdvantage Nutraceuticals · off the market3 mg
- Prenate EliteAvion Pharmaceuticals15 mg
- Prenate StarAvion Pharmaceuticals15 mg