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 44 of 276), each with the amount its label prints; an amount far outside what other labels print is marked as a possible slip.
- Centrum Silver Chewables Citrus BerryCentrum15 mg
- Centrum Silver Men 50+Centrum15 mg
- Centrum Silver Men 50+GSK15 mg
- Centrum Silver Plus VisionCentrum15 mg
- Centrum Silver Women 50+Centrum15 mg
- Centrum Silver Women 50+GSK15 mg
- Centrum Specialist EnergyCentrum11 mg
- Centrum Specialist Energy MultivitaminCentrum11 mg
- Centrum Specialist HeartCentrum3.75 mg
- Centrum Specialist Heart MultivitaminCentrum3.8 mg
- Centrum Specialist PrenatalCentrum11 mg
- Centrum Specialist VisionCentrum15 mg
- Centrum VitaMintsCentrum1.5 mg
- Centrum VitaMints RaspberryCentrum1.5 mg
- Centrum VitaMints WintergreenCentrum1.5 mg
- Centrum WomenCentrum8 mg
- Centrum Women 50+ MultigummiesCentrum3.5 mg
- Centrum Women MultigummiesCentrum2.5 mg
- Centrum Women Under 50Centrum8 mg
- Centrum Women's MultiCentrum8 mg
- Centurion Defender Immunity BoostCenturion25 mg
- Centurion Defender PMCenturion Labs · off the market12.5 mg
- Centurion Defender PMCenturion12.5 mg
- CenturySafeway Care11 mg
- Century AdultSmart Sense11 mg
- Century AdultsSignature Care11 mg
- Century CompleteTop Care11 mg
- Century Complete Multivitamin/Multimineral SupplementEqualine11 mg
- Century FormulaSwanson Premium Brand · off the market15 mg
- Century Formula Without IronSwanson Premium Brand · off the market15 mg
- Century MatureSmart Sense11 mg
- Century MatureGoodSense11 mg
- Century MatureSignature Care11 mg
- Century MatureMeijer11 mg
- Century menSignature Care11 mg
- Century Men'sEqualine11 mg
- Century Senior 50+ FormulaSafeway Care11 mg
- Century Senior Ultimate Men'sTop Care15 mg
- Century Ultimate Men'sTop Care11 mg
- Century Ultimate Men's Senior FormulaSafeway Care15 mg
- Century Ultimate Women'sTop Care8 mg
- Century WomenGoodSense8 mg
- Century Women's Complete 50+TopCare Health15 mg
- Ceracarenutra4health · off the market8 mg
- CerenityOrtho Molecular Products5 mg
- Cerenity PMOrtho Molecular Products5 mg
- CereViveOrtho Molecular Products5 mg
- CereVive Jr. BerrySpringboard2 mg
- CeroviteRugby11 mg
- Cerovite Jr.Rugby15 mg