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 271 of 276), each with the amount its label prints; an amount far outside what other labels print is marked as a possible slip.
- Zinc Lozenge Natural Fruit FlavorWonder Labs · off the market25 mg
- Zinc Lozenge Natural Fruit FlavorsNature's Sunshine · off the market3.5 mg
- Zinc Lozenge Orange Chai 5 mgNatural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage5 mg
- Zinc Lozenge with ElderberryNHC Natural Healthy Concepts23 mg
- Zinc Lozenge+ Natural Fruit FlavorWonder Labs25 mg
- Zinc LozengesBronson Laboratories · off the market23 mg
- Zinc LozengesDouglas Laboratories · off the market10 mg
- Zinc LozengesAnabolic Laboratories · off the market3 mg
- Zinc LozengesRx Vitamins15 mg
- Zinc Lozenges 10 mg Orange FlavorsCooper Complete · off the market10 mg
- Zinc Lozenges 15 mgVitabase15 mg
- Zinc Lozenges 15 mgVitamin Discount Center · off the market15 mg
- Zinc Lozenges 15 mgRon Teeguarden Nutraceuticals15 mg
- Zinc Lozenges 15 mg Natural Orange FlavorBluebonnet EarthSweet Chewables · off the market15 mg
- Zinc Lozenges 15 mg Orange FlavorBluebonnet EarthSweet Chewables15 mg
- Zinc Lozenges 15 mg with Vitamin C & Slippery ElmMartin Avenue Pharmacy15 mg
- Zinc Lozenges 23 mgVitamin World23 mg
- Zinc Lozenges 25 mg Orange FlavorHTP Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals25 mg
- Zinc Lozenges Cherry FlavorCountry Life23 mg
- Zinc Lozenges Cherry FlavoredBasic Vitamins15 mg
- Zinc Lozenges Citrus-Orange FlavorLife Extension18.75 mg
- Zinc Lozenges Cool LemonVillage Vitality · off the market23 mg
- Zinc Lozenges Cool LemonNatural Nutra23 mg
- Zinc Lozenges Cool LemonWoodstock Vitamins · off the market23 mg
- Zinc Lozenges Delicious Honey Lemon FlavorWindmill Natural Vitamins30 mg
- Zinc Lozenges Elderberry FlavorAdvanced Nutrition by Zahler25 mg
- Zinc Lozenges LemonNature's Blend12 mg
- Zinc Lozenges Lemon FlavorBronson23 mg
- Zinc Lozenges Natural Berry FlavorNature's Way · off the market23 mg
- Zinc Lozenges Natural Cherry FlavorMaxi Health10 mg
- Zinc Lozenges Natural Citrus-Orange FlavorLife Extension18.75 mg
- Zinc Lozenges Natural Orange FlavorDouglas Laboratories10 mg
- Zinc Lozenges Peach-Raspberry 23 mgSource Naturals Wellness · off the market23 mg
- Zinc Lozenges plus Vitamin CSundown Naturals23 mg
- Zinc Lozenges Wild Berry FlavoredNature's Way23 mg
- Zinc Lozenges with 100 mg Vitamin C Honey & Lemon FlavoredWindmill · off the market23 mg
- Zinc Lozenges with Echinacea & Vitamin C Cherry FlavorWindmill10 mg
- Zinc Lozenges with Echinacea and Vitamin C Cherry FlavorWindmill · off the market10 mg
- Zinc Lozenges with Enchinacea & Vitamin-CWindmill · off the market10 mg
- Zinc Lozenges with Vitamin C & Echinacea Delicious Cherry FlavorWindmill Natural Vitamins30 mg
- Zinc Lozenges with Vitamin C Citrus FlavorWindmill Natural Vitamins30 mg
- Zinc Lozenges with Vitamin C Honey Lemon FlavorWindmill Natural Vitamins23 mg
- Zinc Lozenges With Vitamin C Lemon FlavorCountry Life23 mg
- Zinc Lozenges with Vitamin C Natural Lemon FlavorViva Vitamins12 mg
- Zinc LozenjetsSuperior Source5 mg
- Zinc Magnesium 351 mg Nighttime BlendGNC Pro Performance30 mg
- Zinc Magnesium Amino ComplexGNC Pro Performance30 mg
- Zinc Magnesium AspartateGNC Pro Performance30 mg
- Zinc Magnesium Aspartate CapsulesOptimum Nutrition28 mg
- Zinc MethionineBioCare14 mg