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 61 of 276), each with the amount its label prints; an amount far outside what other labels print is marked as a possible slip.
- Cough Syrup + Mucus, Throat & Nasal Natural Grape FlavorZarbee's Naturals3.4 mg
- Cough Syrup Dark Honey Natural Grape FlavorZarbee's Naturals1.7 mg
- Cough Syrup+ Mucus Natural Honey Lemon FlavorZarbee's3.3 mg
- Counter AttackRainbow Light10 mg
- Counter Attack Daytime Drink Mix Elder-Citrus FlavoredRainbow Light · off the market2 mg
- Counter Attack Elderberry GummiesRainbow Light · off the market2 mg
- Counter Attack Nighttime Drink Mix Elderberry-Citrus FlavoredRainbow Light · off the market2 mg
- Cpa-800DC2 mg
- Crafted Blend Vitamin C Zesty OrangeAirborne8 mg
- CRaNiULS 520 mgDr. Clark Store15 mg
- Crash Blue RazzPS ProSupps · off the market24 mg
- Crash Blue RazzProSupps24 mg
- Crash Fruit PunchPS ProSupps · off the market24 mg
- Crash Fruit PunchProSupps24 mg
- Crave Crush SpearmintCrave Crush · off the market1 mg
- Creatine Ester HCL Mass Serum CherryMMUSA · off the marketin a blend
- Creatine Ester HCL Mass Serum StrawberryMMUSA · off the marketin a blend
- Creation Mineral BoostDr. LaMar's Productsin a blend
- Crush It Kids MultiCore Nutritionals2.7 mg
- CTS360 Complete Toning SystemComplete Nutrition10 mg
- Custom Vitamin/Mineral Base PowderMetabolic Maintenance15 mg
- CV Defense ImmunityCV Sciences11 mg
- CV SelectMoss Nutrition5 mg
- Cyborg 10,000Body Advance2 mg as transcribed, likely a slip
- Cycle Care & ComfortAZO10 mg
- Cycle ComfortNOW30 mg
- Cycle SupportILN Iron Labs Nutrition8 mg
- Cycle SupportNutriissa30 mg
- Cycle SupportIron Labs Nutrition20 mg
- Cyclin With Growth FactorsMHP Maximum Human Performance30 mg
- Cyclo DexInfinite Labsin a blend
- Cyclo-ShredGNC GenetixHD · off the market15 mg
- Cyto-RedoxinIntegrative Therapeutics7.5 mg
- CytoGainer Vanilla ShakeCytoSportin a blend
- Cytomune CDZ PlusNutrasal11 mg
- D-Bal Max Version 2D-Bal Max10 mg
- D-DrinkFitLine3.2 mg
- D-Ribose Muscle Recovery Lemon Flavor Drink MixBest Life International · off the market0.005 mg as transcribed, likely a slip
- D-Ribose Muscle Recovery Peach Flavor Drink MixBest Life International · off the market0.005 mg as transcribed, likely a slip
- D3 & K2 VitaminDr. Berg · off the market20 mg
- D3 10,000 IU & K2 100 mcg VitaminDr. Berg20 mg
- D3 5,000 IU & K2 50 mcg VitaminDr. Berg10 mg
- D3PlusBio-Tech Pharmacal12 mg
- D3ZO High Potency Vitamin D3 25KLifeLink15 mg
- DAA KickAggressive Labz · off the market15 mg
- Dabotamin Q Tab.Yuhan15 mg
- Dad's PackDouglas Laboratories38 mg
- Dagger Black CherryInfinite Labs10 mg as transcribed, likely a slip
- Dagger HP Black CherryInfinite Labs · off the market10 mg as transcribed, likely a slip
- Dagger OrangeInfinite Labs10 mg as transcribed, likely a slip