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Zinc Supplements and Lozenges Reviewed by ConsumerLab.com

Summary

  • What is zinc?

    Zinc is an essential mineral, one of the few nutrients for which a mild deficiency is not uncommon (see What It Is). Zinc is naturally found in meats and other foods (see Getting Zinc — From Food)
  • Who is most likely to be zinc deficient?

    Mild zinc deficiency can occur with the use of acid-blocking medications and certain blood pressure medications. Zinc deficiency can also occur with hypothyroidism. Vegetarians may require as much as 50% more of the daily requirement for zinc due to compounds in legumes and grains that can interfere with zinc absorption (See What to Consider When Using).
  • What are the benefits of zinc?

    Zinc supplements (typically taken in pill form) can reverse or prevent zinc deficiency (which can otherwise impair the immune system, cause diarrhea and hair loss, reduce taste, etc.) and help slow advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD) of the retina. Zinc is also taken as a lozenge (or other orally dissolving formulation) to act locally on the throat to reduce the duration of a cold. (See What It Does).
  • How much zinc should you take and which form of zinc is best?

    The daily requirement for zinc ranges from 3 mg for children to 14 mg for lactating women (see Dosage). No form is absorbed particularly better than another and zinc gluconate is typically the least expensive. To reduce the duration of a cold, take a lozenge (or other orally dissolving formulation providing 9 to 23 mg of zinc as either zinc gluconate or zinc acetate) every 2 to 3 hours during the day, allowing it to fully dissolve in the mouth: Limit treatment to one week as intake of large doses of zinc (see upper intake levels) can reduce copper absorption and eventually lead to copper deficiency that can impair the immune system. Many vision supplements for AMD contain very high doses of zinc (some nearly double the UL), much lower doses appear to be just as effective, as sown in the AREDS 2 trial (see the Vision Supplements Review).
  • What is the best zinc supplement or lozenge?

    Among supplements that passed testing, we identified our Top Picks for pills and lozenges, as well as dissolving tablets, and liquids. These products also passed testing for lead, cadmium, and arsenic contamination, a potential quality concern. We found that you can pay as little as 1 cent or more than $1 to get an equivalent dose of high quality zinc — there is no need to overspend.
  • Cautions when taking zinc:

    As noted above, unless treating zinc deficiency, don't take large doses (more than 40 mg) of zinc daily for more than a week and don't take with fiber, which inhibits absorption of zinc. Be aware of drug interactions with zinc, particularly for certain antibiotics. (See Concerns and Cautions for more information about zinc side effects, interactions, and safety).

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Zinc supplements and lozenges compared in this review

View Larger Image 7318_large_Carlson-Zinc-2020.png

Carlson Zinc Ease - Natural Lemon Flavor

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Cold-Eeze - Cherry

View Larger Image 7307_large_CountryLife-Zinc-2020.png

Country Life Zinc Lozenges - Cherry Flavor

View Larger Image 7304_large_Frunutta-Zinc-2020.png

Frunutta Zinc + Vitamin C

View Larger Image 7313_large_GardenOfLife-Zinc-2020.png

Garden of Life Vitamin Code Raw Zinc

View Larger Image 7301_large_GoodState-Zinc-2020.png

Good State Natural Ionic Zinc

View Larger Image 7312_large_LifeExtension-Zinc-2020.png

Life Extension Zinc Caps 50 mg

View Larger Image 7302_large_MaryRuths-Zinc-2020.png

Mary Ruth's Liquid Ionic Zinc - Unflavored

View Larger Image 7308_large_MegaFood-Zinc-2020.png

MegaFood Zinc

View Larger Image 7311_large_NaturesBounty-Zinc-2020.png

Nature's Bounty Zinc 50 mg

View Larger Image 7310_large_NaturesWay-Zinc-2020.png

Nature's Way Zinc Lozenges - Wild Berry Flavored

View Larger Image 7309_large_NOW-Zinc-2020.png

NOW L-OptiZinc 30 mg

View Larger Image 7317_large_Sundown-Zinc-2020.png

Sundown Essential Zinc 50 mg

View Larger Image 7316_large_Swanson-Zinc-2020.png

Swanson Zinc Gluconate

View Larger Image 7315_large_Thorne-Zinc-2020.png

Thorne Zinc Picolinate 30 mg

View Larger Image 7319_large_Vitacost-Zinc-2020.png

Vitacost Chelated Zinc Albion Zinc Glycinate Chelate

View Larger Image 7314_large_TheVitaminShoppe-Zinc-2020.png

Vitamin Shoppe Zinc 50 mg

View Larger Image 7305_large_Walgreens-Zinc-2020.png

Walgreens Zinc Lozenges - Cherry Flavor

View Larger Image 7306_large_Zicam-Zinc-2020.png

Zicam Cold Remedy - Citrus Flavor

You must be a member to get the full test results along with ConsumerLab.com's recommendations and quality ratings. You will get results for 19 zinc supplements and lozenges, including 15 products selected for testing by ConsumerLab.com and six others that passed testing in CL's voluntary Quality Certification Program. In this comprehensive review, you'll discover:
  • Which zinc supplements and lozenges passed testing, which failed
  • ConsumerLab's Top Picks for zinc supplements and lozenges based on quality, the forms of zinc they provide, and value
  • Which zinc lozenges provide a dosage known to work -- and which do not
  • What zinc can and cannot do for your health  
  • If certain forms of zinc, like zinc gluconate, zinc acetate, and zinc citrate are better absorbed than others  
  • The zinc dosage to treat conditions including colds, macular degeneration, and zinc deficiency 
  • What the "zinc challenge" is and whether or not it is a reliable method for determining zinc deficiency or adequacy
  • The potential side-effects of zinc and other concerns with zinc, including drug interactions 

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Additional Information
Tested through CL's Quality Certification Program prior to, or after initial posting of this Product Review.