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 75 of 276), each with the amount its label prints; an amount far outside what other labels print is marked as a possible slip.
- Elite Liquid ProteinDymatize Nutrition · off the marketin a blend
- Elite Mass Banana CreamDymatize Nutrition · off the market6.75 mg
- Elite Mass Cookies & CreamDymatize Nutrition · off the market6.75 mg
- Elite Mass Double ChocolateDymatize Nutrition · off the market6.75 mg
- Elite Mass Double ChocolateDymatize · off the market6.8 mg
- Elite Mass Fudge BrownieDymatize Nutrition · off the market6.75 mg
- Elite Mass Hi-Protein Muscle Gainer Double ChocolateDymatize Nutrition · off the market4.5 mg
- Elite Mass Hi-Protein Muscle Gainer Fudge BrownieDymatize Nutrition · off the market4.5 mg
- Elite Mass Hi-Protein Muscle Gainer Vanilla Milk ShakeDymatize Nutrition · off the market4.5 mg
- Elite Mass Strawberries & CreamDymatize Nutrition · off the market6.75 mg
- Elite Mass Vanilla Ice CreamDymatize Nutrition · off the market6.75 mg
- Elite Mass Vanilla MilkshakeDymatize Nutrition · off the market6.75 mg
- Elite Mass Vanilla MilkshakeDymatize · off the market6.8 mg
- Elite MultivitaminPurity Products15 mg
- Elite OBTrigen Laboratories10 mg
- Elite Training PacksPrecision Engineered · off the market25 mg
- EllagicAcidNutra Perfect · off the market2 mg as transcribed, likely a slip
- Elo-PlexProgressive Professional from Progressive Laboratories3.3 mg
- Embrace Prenatal 35+Rainbow Light · off the market15 mg
- Emergen-C 1,000 mg Vitamin C TangerineAlacer Corp · off the market2 mg
- Emergen-Zzzz Nighttime Sleep Aid with Melotonin Berry PMEmergen-C2 mg
- Emergen-Zzzz Nighttime Sleep Aid with Melotonin Mellow BerryEmergen-C2 mg
- Emergency Immune SupportNutriSuppz16 mg
- Emergency Immune SupportDr. Berg10 mg
- Emergency Immune System SupportThe Enclare Nutrition16 mg
- EmmaEmma15 mg
- EMPowerplusTruehope12 mg
- EMPowerplus AdvancedTruehope6.4 mg
- EMPowerplus Berry BlendTruehope12 mg
- EMPowerplus Mint ChocolateTruehope12 mg
- EMPowerplus Q96Q Sciencesin a blend
- EmpowHERLean Factor2 mg
- Emulsified Norwegian Cod Liver OilTwinlab · off the market4 mg
- eMultiEvolved Natural Solutions · off the market12.5 mg
- End Fatigue Daily Energy Enfusion BerryIntegrative Therapeutics15 mg
- End Fatigue Daily Energy Enfusion Berry-FlavoredIntegrative Therapeutics · off the market15 mg
- End Fatigue Daily Energy Enfusion CitrusIntegrative Therapeutics15 mg
- End Fatigue Daily Energy Enfusion Citrus-Flavored Drink MixIntegrative Therapeutics · off the market15 mg
- Endo-DrenEndo-met Laboratories1 mg
- Endo-PanEndo-met Laboratories22.5 mg
- Endocrine CompleteDouglas Laboratories15 mg
- EndoPeakEndoPeak20 mg
- EndoTrimDesigns for Health5 mg
- EndozinKlaire Labs · off the market17 mg
- Endur-VM Multi-Vitamin & MineralEndurance Products Company15 mg
- Endure Creatine Serum Lemon LimePhytonutritia11 mg
- Endure Creatine Serum RaspberryPhytonutritia11 mg
- Ener-C CranberryPauling Labs5 mg
- Ener-C Lemon LimePauling Labs5 mg
- Ener-C OrangePauling Labs5 mg