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 260 of 276), each with the amount its label prints; an amount far outside what other labels print is marked as a possible slip.
- Women's MultiNature's Bounty15 mg
- Women's MultiNature Made15 mg
- Women's Multivitafusion · off the market2.2 mg
- Women's MultiLuckyVitamin15 mg
- Women's MultiNaturesPlus Source of Life Garden8 mg
- Women's MultiNaturesPlus AgeLoss15 mg
- Women's MultiGarden of Life MyKind Organics5.5 mg
- Women's MultiHabit2.75 mg
- Women's Multi & OmegasSmartyPants4 mg
- Women's Multi + Omega-3 Ultra SoftgelsOLLY0.0025 mg as transcribed, likely a slip
- Women's Multi 40+Garden of Life MyKind Organics7 mg
- Women's Multi 40+ Organic BerryGarden of Life MyKind Organics1.5 mg
- Women's Multi 45 PlusSeniorLife Health15 mg
- Women's Multi 50+Nature's Bounty15 mg
- Women's Multi 50+Thorne · off the market15 mg
- Women's Multi Blissful BerryOLLY2.5 mg
- Women's Multi GoldNutriGold · off the market7 mg
- Women's Multi GummiesFeel Great Vitamin Co.5 mg
- Women's Multi GummiesMeijer2.5 mg
- Women's Multi Gummies RaspberryVital Proteins3.3 mg
- Women's Multi Gummies Raspberry FlavoredSundown2.5 mg
- Women's Multi Gummies StrawberryHealth by Habit5 mg
- Women's Multi Gummies with Biotin & Collagen Raspberry FlavoredSundown2.5 mg
- Women's Multi Natural Berry Flavorsvitafusion2.2 mg
- Women's Multi Organic BerryGarden Of Life MyKind Organics1.5 mg
- Women's Multi PearlsFinest Nutrition15 mg
- Women's Multi PlusMDLogic7.5 mg
- Women's Multi TangerineMegaFood5 mg
- Women's Multi Vitamin & Mineral FormulaWindmill Rx Premium Vitamins15 mg
- Women's Multi Vitamins Natural FormulaBody Basix · off the market15 mg
- Women's Multi with IronAltrum15 mg
- Women's Multi-VitaminBIOVEA15 mg
- Women's Multi-VitaminTropical Oasisin a blend
- Women's Multi-VitaminUltamins · off the market15 mg
- Women's Multi-VitaminCalifornia Gold Nutrition Ultamins15 mg
- Women's Multi-vitamin + Collagen Natural Mixed Berry FlavorRite Aid2 mg
- Women's MultipleRadiance Select15 mg
- Women's MultipleProgressive Professional from Progressive Laboratories15 mg
- Women's MultiStartNatural Factors7 mg
- Women's MultivitaminApex · off the market12 mg
- Women's MultivitaminSpring Valley25 mg
- Women's MultivitaminBodybuilding.com Foundation Series15 mg
- Women's MultivitaminLeader15 mg
- Women's MultivitaminGNC Earth Genius · off the market20 mg
- Women's MultivitaminNutraChamps · off the market15 mg
- Women's MultivitaminCodeage · off the market11 mg
- Women's MultivitaminBioSchwartz6.6 mg
- Women's MultivitaminRainbow Light · off the market5 mg
- Women's MultivitaminiPro Organic Supplements · off the market15 mg
- Women's MultivitaminSolimo · off the market2.5 mg