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 243 of 276), each with the amount its label prints; an amount far outside what other labels print is marked as a possible slip.
- Unicomplex-MRugby15 mg
- Universal Gain Fast 3100 Cookies & CreamUniversal7.5 mg
- Universal Gain Fast 3100 Cookies & Cream FlavorUniversal7.5 mg
- Universal Gain Fast 3100 Strawberry ShakeUniversal7.5 mg
- Universal Power Protein Chocolate FlavorUniversal1.5 mg
- Universal Power Protein Vanilla FlavorUniversal1.5 mg
- Unsweetened Spiru-Tein High Protein Energy Meal Simply Natural BananaNature's Plus · off the market15 mg
- Unsweetened Spiru-Tein High Protein Energy Meal Simply Natural Peaches & CreamNature's Plus · off the market15 mg
- Unsweetened Spiru-Tein High Protein High Energy Meal Simply Natural ChocolateNature's Plus · off the market15 mg
- Unsweetened Spiru-Tein High Protein High Energy Meal Simply Natural Original VanillaNature's Plus · off the market15 mg
- Unsweetened Spiru-Tein High Protein High Energy Meal Simply Natural StrawberryNature's Plus · off the market15 mg
- UpliftOrgana Crystalline Nano · off the market0.74 mg
- UpLift ProVera's Formulations5 mg
- Upliftment FormulaAltrum10 mg
- Upliftment Formula Mood Enhancement SupportAltrum · off the market10 mg
- Urgent Cell RepairPhytAge Labs15 mg
- Urgent Liver 911PhytAge Labs30 mg
- Urinary Tract HealthRepHresh2.2 mg
- Uro BacNutri-West0.13 mg
- Uro-ProDouglas Laboratories15 mg
- UroHealthSunVita Health47 mg
- UrthGreensVivid Health Nutrition15 mg
- UsanimalsUSANA5 mg
- UVO Orange Peach FlavorUVO · off the market15 mg
- V-Guard 2Life Priority10 mg
- V-lutexNaturex7.5 mg
- V-Power PlusNutrients for Health15 mg
- V.M.T. Extra StrengthViva Vitamins30 mg
- V.M.T. Regular StrengthViva Vitamins15 mg
- Van-Chr-Zin ConcentrateComplete H2O Minerals0.75 mg
- Vana-ChromeNutri-West1 mg
- VanChroZinAngstrom Minerals · off the marketin a blend
- VanillaON Optimum Nutrition33 mg
- Vanilla Cleanse ShakeCleanin a blend
- Vanilla CustardON Optimum Nutritionin a blend
- Vanilla Protein Shake MixArbonne Essentials · off the market2 mg
- Vanilla ShakeUniversal7.5 mg
- Vanilla ThrillaSwee2ooth · off the market1.5 mg
- Varicose 911PhytAge Labs25 mg
- Vaso Pre-Workout Creatine Serum Lemon LimePhytonutritia1 mg
- Vaso Pre-Workout Creatine Serum RaspberryPhytonutritia1 mg
- VasQFlowXtendlife4.5 mg
- VeganPure Essence Real-Zymes2.5 mg
- Vegan Bone MaximizerMRM · off the market13 mg
- Vegan Bone MaximizerMRM Nutrition13 mg
- Vegan Cal Mag PlusDEVA11 mg
- Vegan Collagen Booster GummiesKonsyl2 mg
- Vegan Collagen Builder French VanillaPortions Master Vegan1.2 mg
- Vegan Collagen Builder Salted CaramelPortions Master Vegan1.1 mg
- Vegan Complete Immune SupportPlantFusion15 mg