11 Best Zinc Supplements of 2022, Approved by a Clinical Nutritionist - Sports Illustrated

Hero Best Zinc Supplement_Source iStock

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Zinc is an essential nutrient that your body cannot make on its own. It's vital for much more than boosting your immune function during cold season. Zinc is also vital for healthy skin, digestion, vision and anti-inflammatory functions. But if your diet is low in zinc—as it is for many vegetarians and vegans—you may lack this important element. Zinc supplementation can also be helpful for those with certain health conditions, like heart disease, diabetes, liver problems and age-related muscle deterioration.

There are seemingly endless zinc supplements on the market, which is why we consulted a clinical nutritionist to find the best zinc supplements available now, plus a primer on what kinds of zinc are available, the best time to take a zinc supplement and the best dose for your age and health.

Our Picks for the Best Zinc Supplement:

Transparent Labs Immune

Key features and specs

Our zinc recommendation for men is Transparent Labs Immune. This product contains promising immune boosters like dried fermented yeast, Tumeric extract and ginger extract, as well as evidence-based immune boosters, including organic reishi mushroom and, of course, zinc. The black pepper fruit extract (also called piperine or BioPerine) may increase absorption of the zinc.

Transparent Labs is a brand that's committed to clean ingredients and transparent labels. On their website, you can reference the studies they use to support the inclusion of each active ingredient, which is rare in the supplement industry. They also exclude additives like artificial sweeteners, color and preservatives. 

Pros

Cons

Buy Transparent Labs Immune

athletic-greens

Key features and specs

There's a good chance you've heard about Athletic Greens AG1 from health and wellness influencers, and we stand behind the hype. Not only does AG1 supply 15 milligrams of zinc citrate, which is easy on the digestive tract, but it also contains 20 other vitamins and minerals, a superfood complex, dairy-free probiotics, antioxidants and an enzyme and mushroom complex. These additional ingredients help fill in your metabolic and nutritional gaps.

In addition to being an excellent probiotic and multivitamin with zinc, AG1 is safe for use by athletes thanks to its NSF certification. The certifications process at Athletic Greens involves testing and verifying each ingredient and finished batch. AG1 is also vegetarian, vegan, paleo and keto-friendly, and free of gluten, dairy, corn, egg and peanuts. Note that it does contain soy.

Pros

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Buy Athletic Greens AG1

Naked Nutrition Immune Support Supplement_Source Naked Nutrition

Key features and specs

Naked Nutrition Immune Support Supplement is packed full of immune boosting ingredients, which is why it's our top zinc supplement for the immune system. In addition to a double dose of zinc and Vitamins A, C and D3, Naked Nutrition Immune Support contains:

Naked Nutrition Immune Support may be taken with other supplements and daily vitamins as long as your Vitamin C intake stays below the upper limit (2,000 milligrams). Always consult with your physician if you're taking blood thinners, antacids and nitrate medications that may interact with the ingredients in this supplement. Naked Nutrition recommends taking three capsules of Immune Support daily when you feel under the weather and one capsule when you feel fine. They also recommend taking a one month break after three months of daily use.

Pros

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Buy Naked Nutrition Immune Support Supplement

Doctor's Best Zinc-L-Carnosine_Source iHerb

Key features and specs

Doctor's Best has been in the supplement business for over 30 years. Their products are clinically researched, third party tested and manufactured in GMP-certified facilities. Doctor's Best Zinc-L-Carnosine is the best zinc supplement for GI health because of the type of zinc used in the formulation: zinc-L-carnosine. This form has been shown in studies to deliver zinc directly to the tissues of the GI tract, which can facilitate faster gut healing. For example, zinc-L-carnosine can help heal ulcers and damage to tissues caused by H. pylori.

Pros

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Buy Doctor's Best Zinc-L-Carnosine

Solaray Calcium Magnesium Zinc_Source Swanson

Key features and specs

Magnesium, zinc and calcium deficiencies are fairly common, yet these minerals are vital for overall health. Magnesium is important for energy and muscle and nerve function; calcium is vital for healthy bones and teeth and normal muscle, heart and nerve function; zinc is needed to grow cells, heal tissue, build proteins and maintain a strong immune system. But why take magnesium, zinc and calcium together? One study found that pregnant women with gestational diabetes who took Vitamin D with zinc, magnesium and calcium showed lower levels of inflammation and oxidative stress. Another study found that taking magnesium with zinc may be beneficial for those with coronary heart disease and type two diabetes.

Solaray Calcium Magnesium Zinc is our pick for the best magnesium and zinc supplement. In addition to the 100 percent recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of calcium (1,000 milligrams) and 125 percent RDA of magnesium (500 milligrams), it contains 167 percent RDA of zinc (11 milligrams for men and eight milligrams for women). The 25 milligrams of zinc chelate in this supplement ensure you have the minimum needed daily, a little extra to spare and yet you don't exceed the maximum allowable recommended dose of 40 milligrams per day. All three of these minerals are in an amino acid chelated form for optimal absorption (as if you are getting them from protein foods), and the calcium and magnesium include blends of two to three additional forms for maximum potency, as well.

Pros

Cons

Buy Solaray Calcium Magnesium Zinc

Garden of Life Vitamin Code Raw Zinc_Source Swanson

Key features and specs

Zinc and Vitamin C both individually help to boost your immune system, and when taken together, they can reduce the length of cold symptoms. Participants in two research trials recovered more quickly from the cold when given 1,000 milligrams of Vitamin C and 10 milligrams of zinc instead of a placebo. 

Garden of Life Vitamin Code Raw Zinc contains 30 milligrams of zinc (273 percent RDA) and 60 milligrams of Vitamin C. The daily upper limit of Vitamin C for adults is 2,000 milligrams, so you could safely supplement with extra Vitamin C if you want an immunity boost; otherwise, you'll get your whole RDA for zinc, plus almost the full RDA for Vitamin C (75 milligrams for women and 90 milligrams for men).

The food-sourced ingredients, probiotics and enzymes in this supplement offer additional skin and eye health, prostate and digestive system support via the antioxidants, vitamins and nutrient cofactors they contain. The Garden of Life Company is fully committed to offering safe, third party-certified and traceable products, and has a good reputation in the industry, so you can rest assured you are getting what they state is in the label.

Pros

Cons

Buy Garden of Life Vitamin Code Raw Zinc

Life Extension Enhanced Zinc Lozenges_Source Swanson

Key features and specs

Life Extension Enhanced Zinc Lozenges have the right form of zinc (acetate) in a sufficient dosage for the lozenges to be effective. The 18.75 milligrams of zinc is a little over the standard dosage of 15 milligrams, but not anywhere near the maximum allowable dosage of 40 milligrams a day. Also, the lozenge has a cooling peppermint flavor that provides sore throat relief, and the lozenges use dextrose instead of sorbitol. (Sorbitol blocks the delivery of zinc to the tissues.)

Pros

Cons

Buy Life Extension Enhanced Zinc Lozenges

MegaFood Zinc_Source Swanson

Key features and specs

MegaFood Zinc is our choice for best vegan zinc supplement because the product's organic vegetable ingredients are suitable for vegetarians and vegans and help complement the action of zinc in the body. 

There's a trend in the supplement industry moving toward fermented products, which some people believe offer better benefits, and if so, MegaFood Zinc is ahead of the curve and on the forefront. They use fermented brown rice as the source of 22.5 milligrams of zinc per serving—a higher dose than other standard zinc supplements.

Pros

Cons

Buy MegaFood Zinc

Nature Made Zinc_Source Swanson

Key features and specs

Nature Made Zinc has a high dosage of 30 milligrams of zinc gluconate per serving, which is only one tablet. The large bottle size lasts over three months, and has a very economical cost. Nature Made products are USP verified, and the company states that their high-quality ingredients are backed by 35 years of research, science and innovation. There are no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives in this product, and it's safe for those on a gluten-free diet.

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Buy Nature Made Zinc

Metagenics Zinc Liquid Drink_Source VitaLiving

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