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 73 of 276), each with the amount its label prints; an amount far outside what other labels print is marked as a possible slip.
- Elderberry Immune Support GummiesNATURELO Premium Supplements5 mg
- Elderberry Immune Support Natural Berry FlavorZarbee's Naturals2.3 mg
- Elderberry Immune SyrupGarden of Life MyKind Organics1.3 mg
- Elderberry Immune+Emergen-C10 mg
- Elderberry Immunity Earnest ElderberryLlama Naturals3 mg as transcribed, likely a slip
- Elderberry Immunity GummiesGaspari Nutrition5 mg
- Elderberry Immunity Gummies Berry FlavorFocus Factor10 mg
- Elderberry Immunity Powder Lemon BerryTrace Minerals10 mg
- Elderberry Kids Gummies Raspberry FlavoredNatures Craft3.8 mg
- Elderberry Liquid for KidsNOW2.5 mg
- Elderberry Max Mixed BerryNature Made3 mg
- Elderberry Plus SyrupWise Woman Herbals0.1 mg
- Elderberry Raspberry FlavoredAtlantic Naturals5 mg
- Elderberry SambucusOrzax7.5 mg
- Elderberry SyrupDouble Wood Supplements10 mg
- Elderberry Vitamin C & ZinceXplicit Supplements · off the market7 mg
- Elderberry Vitamin C & Zinc 707 mgeXplicit Supplements7 mg
- Elderberry Vitamin C + ZincNutraChamps11 mg
- Elderberry VitaminsCodeage15 mg
- Elderberry Vitamins Pro Blueberry & Raspberry FlavorCodeage3 mg
- Elderberry with Vitamin C & Zinc Gummies Berry FlavorVitaDrops7.5 mg
- Elderberry with Vitamin C and ZincSibu5 mg
- Elderberry with Zinc & Vitamin C BerrySwanson8.4 mg
- Elderberry with Zinc Gummy BerryIntegrative Therapeutics · off the market7.5 mg
- Elderberry with Zinc Gummy Berry FlavoredIntegrative Therapeutics7.5 mg
- Elderberry Zinc and Vitamin CDouble Wood Supplements50 mg
- Elderberry Zinc Immune Support SyrupMegaFood11 mg
- Elderberry Zinc Lozenges Cherry FlavorCalifornia Natural · off the market7.5 mg
- Elderberry Zinc Raspberry FlavorApollo Sun · off the market12 mg
- Elderberry+Tomorrow's Nutrition28 mg
- Elderberry+Number One Nutrition16 mg
- Elderberry+ Immune Complex Blueberry & Raspberry FlavorCodeage · off the market3 mg
- Elderberry+ Immune ResponseInnate Response Formulas5 mg
- Elderberry, Vitamin C + ZincViva Naturals10 mg
- Elderberry, Zinc & Echinacea SyrupNOW5 mg
- Electro-C CherryNutriBiotic Immunity1 mg
- Electro-Vita-MinTrace Minerals Research · off the market40 mg
- Electro-Vita-Min Daily 5Trace Minerals Research13.5 mg
- ElectrolyteMTN OPS3 mg
- Electrolyte Berry SplashVitaminHydrate11 mg
- Electrolyte Blue RaspberryVitaminHydrate11 mg
- Electrolyte ChargeNew Spirit Naturals2 mg
- Electrolyte Complex Pink LemonadeNutricost5 mg
- Electrolyte Fizz GrapeBodyTech3 mg
- Electrolyte Fizz Lemon LimeBodyTech3 mg
- Electrolyte Fizz WatermelonBodyTech3 mg
- Electrolyte Hydrator Lemon LimeVega Sport1 mg
- Electrolyte Hydrator Pom-BerryVega Sport1 mg
- Electrolyte Hydrator Pom-Berry Lemon LimeVega Sport1 mg
- Electrolyte Orange BlastVitaminHydrate11 mg