Zinc is one of many essential minerals that your body needs on a regular basis in order to power its various systems. Most vitamins and minerals play different roles throughout your entire body, and zinc is perhaps one of the most versatile. Despite being a trace mineral, meaning it only exists in relatively small amounts inside your body, zinc is involved in immune system health, metabolism support, cell growth and development, DNA synthesis, wound healing, and much more (1). Without healthy amounts of zinc in your system, you may develop a deficiency, which can weaken your immune system or even cause skin rashes.

So how do you make sure your body always has enough zinc? And is it possible to consume too much of this vital mineral? The best way to supply your body with zinc is to regularly eat foods that contain the mineral, such as oysters, red meat, crab, nuts, mushrooms, and more. However, there can be extenuating circumstances that may make it harder to obtain enough zinc from your diet, whether you have an allergy to some zinc-rich foods, you simply don’t like them, or you don’t have enough time to create a well-balanced meal plan. In this case, you may want to consider taking a liquid zinc supplement or a multivitamin that contains zinc in order to boost your body’s supply of this important nutrient. 

How Much Zinc Is Too Much?

The side effects of a liquid zinc supplement should be very minimal as long as you are not taking more than instructed and your supplement does not exceed the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for zinc by too much. Remember that zinc is a trace mineral, so your body does not need to take in huge amounts of it in order to get the job done. Below, we have provided a zinc dosage chart based on age groups, according to the National Institutes of Health (2):

• 7 to 12 months: 3 mg
• 1 to 3 years: 3 mg
• 4 to 8 years: 5 mg
• 9 to 13 years: 8 mg
• 14 to 18 years: 9-11 mg
• 19+ years: 8-11 mg

When selecting your zinc supplement, you should check the dosage to make sure the amount of zinc it contains is not too much or too little compared to the RDA for your age group. Some people in certain circumstances may need more or less zinc than others, especially those who are pregnant or nursing as well as anyone with pre-existing health conditions. In all cases, you should check with your physician before starting a new supplement.

As we mentioned, you are not likely to experience side effects of a zinc supplement unless you take it in excess. Excessive consumption of zinc can lead to a few negative side effects, including indigestion, diarrhea, headache, nausea, vomiting, and even copper deficiency (3). If you begin to experience these symptoms while taking a zinc supplement, contact a health professional right away.

Potential Benefits of Zinc

Taking a zinc supplement can have many positive effects on your body, as it ensures that you always have a ready supply of the nutrient when you need it. Zinc is necessary to various bodily systems, so consuming a healthy amount of it can potentially benefit your overall health in ways that you might not realize. Let’s take a very brief look at just two of these possible benefits:

• Benefits for skin: Zinc is both anti-inflammatory and a key player in wound healing, which means it is great for reducing redness and irritation on the surface level of skin as well as healing rashes, scars, and blemishes. In fact, it is often prescribed as an acne treatment, especially for those with oily skin.
• Benefits for immune health: Zinc helps cells grow and develop all across the body, and immune cells are no exception. The immune system is inherently complex, consisting of two subsystems that work in tandem with each other to stave off infections. Zinc provides vital support to cells in both subsets of the immune system.

Depending on your purpose for taking zinc, you may need to use an individual zinc supplement. However, multivitamins like Better Family’s Liquid Daily can also be a great source of this important nutrient. Our diverse blend of nutrients includes your daily dose of zinc along with the B complex vitamins, vitamins A, E, D, and K, as well as other important minerals like iodine, chromium, and selenium. This all-in-one liquid solution can be consumed sublingually and is more concentrated than other liquid multivitamins, making it the standout choice among competitors for fast absorption of only the highest quality micronutrients. Both safe and effective, our Liquid Daily Multivitamin is a great choice for any household and can be given to family members of all ages.

Resources

1. “Zinc.” Harvard School of Public Health, 2022, https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/zinc.
2. “Zinc Fact Sheet for Health Professionals.” National Institutes of Public Health, 7 December 2021, https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Zinc-HealthProfessional.
3. Mayo Clinic Staff. “Zinc.” Mayo Clinic, 17 November 2020, https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-zinc/art-20366112.