Supplement library · Mineral
Zinc, read like a label.
Essential for immune function, wound healing, and taste. Also the single most common mineral to accidentally over-stack — because it hides in multis, gummies, lozenges, and fortified cereal at the same time.
Daily intake rangeNarrow margin
0RDA 8–11 mgUL 40 mg
The gap between "enough" and "too much" is only about 4×. For comparison, vitamin C's is roughly 22×.
Where zinc hides in a normal day
Nobody decides to exceed 40 mg. It accumulates across products that each look reasonable alone:
| Source | Typical zinc | Running total |
|---|---|---|
| 💊 Your multivitamin | 11 mg | 11 mg |
| 🍬 Immunity gummies | 25 mg | 36 mg |
| 🥣 Fortified cereal, most days | ~4 mg | ≈ 40 mg — at the ceiling |
Interactions to know
Zinc + CopperWatch closelyChronic zinc above 40 mg/day suppresses copper absorption and can cause deficiency over months. The most clinically important zinc interaction.
Zinc + IronSpace 2 hHigh-dose iron taken simultaneously reduces zinc uptake; separate standalone doses.
Zinc + certain antibioticsAsk a pharmacistQuinolone and tetracycline antibiotics bind zinc — both lose effect. Spacing of 2–6 hours is typically advised; confirm with your pharmacist.
Food sources that count
Oysters are in a league of their own (~32 mg per 6 oysters). Beef, pumpkin seeds, lentils, and yogurt cover most diets; plant-based eaters absorb less due to phytates and may sit closer to the low end.