Zinc Gluconate
Also known as: Zn gluconate, zinc D-gluconate
The most common zinc salt in multivitamins, lozenges, and immune products, containing about 14.3% elemental zinc. It has a mild taste, is inexpensive, and is well absorbed; a stable-isotope study found absorption comparable to zinc citrate and better than zinc oxide. Zinc gluconate lozenges are the form used in much of the common-cold research, where the total daily zinc dose from lozenges often exceeds the UL for short periods.
Research summary
Supplies ionic zinc for enzyme and immune function; released in the mouth, zinc ions are thought to interact with viral binding in the throat, which underlies lozenge research.
Dosage
Daily amounts, elemental (14% of the compound is the element).
| Lowest studied | Typical range | Highest studied | Upper limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 mg | 10–25 mg | 40 mg | 40 mg |
NIH ODS — UL of 40 mg/day for adults from all sources
Doses are elemental zinc. Take with food. Lozenge studies reviewed by Hemilä used 75–90 mg/day of zinc for the duration of a cold, above the 40 mg UL; the app caps at the UL and those short-course lozenge doses are not represented in the ranges. Zinc gluconate (MW 455.7) is ≈ 14.3% Zn.
Source material: synthetic (zinc oxide or carbonate reacted with gluconic acid)
As supplied: ≈ 14.3% Zn; 15 mg elemental ≈ 105 mg compound
Forms of Zinc
| Form | Typical dose | Element % | Formats | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zinc Gluconate | 10–25 mg | 14% | Capsule, Powder, Tablet, Gummy, Liquid | low |
| Zinc Picolinate | 10–25 mg | 21% | Capsule, Powder, Tablet, Gummy, Liquid | low |
| Zinc Bisglycinate | 10–25 mg | 25% | Capsule, Powder, Tablet, Gummy, Liquid | mid |
| Zinc Citrate | 10–25 mg | 31% | Capsule, Powder, Tablet, Gummy, Liquid | low |
| Zinc Oxide | 10–25 mg | 80% | Capsule, Powder, Tablet, Gummy | low |
| Zinc Monomethionine | 10–25 mg | 21% | Capsule, Powder, Tablet | mid |
Format suitability
- Capsule
- Powder
- Tablet
- Softgel
- Gummy
- Liquid
Mild flavor and good compressibility make it the standard choice for lozenges, chewables, and gummies. Still small in size at normal doses.
Formulation notes
Iron of 25 mg or more in the same serving reduces zinc absorption. Reduces absorption of tetracycline and quinolone antibiotics. Citric acid in lozenges can bind zinc ions and blunt the lozenge effect.
- Has an upper limit
Sources
- Zinc — Health Professional Fact SheetNIH ODS
- Zinc absorption by young adults from supplemental zinc citrate is comparable with that from zinc gluconate and higher than from zinc oxide (Wegmüller 2014)PubMed
- Zinc lozenges and the common cold: a meta-analysis comparing zinc acetate and zinc gluconate, and the role of zinc dosage (Hemilä 2017)PubMed
Related ingredients
Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)
VitaminAscorbic acid is the reference form of vitamin C and the most common form in supplements; NIH ODS notes its bioavailability equals that of vitamin C naturally present in food.
Typical: 250–1,000 mg
Zinc Picolinate
MineralZinc chelated with picolinic acid, a tryptophan metabolite that is proposed to aid mineral transport across the gut wall.
Typical: 10–25 mg
Biotin
VitaminBiotin is a water-soluble B vitamin that serves as the cofactor for five carboxylase enzymes in fatty acid, glucose, and amino acid metabolism.
Typical: 300–5,000 mcg
Zinc Bisglycinate
MineralZinc chelated with two glycine molecules, sold as a gentle, well-absorbed form for people who get nausea from zinc salts.
Typical: 10–25 mg
Vitamin A (Retinyl Palmitate)
VitaminRetinyl palmitate is an ester of retinol and the most common preformed vitamin A used in supplements and multivitamins.
Typical: 750–1,050 mcg