Multivitamins are a fantastic way to boost your overall health by supplying your body with the recommended daily nutrients it doesn’t always receive from your diet. However, since everyone’s diets, routines, and bodies are unique, some may require an individual supplement, such as vitamin C, iron, or zinc. In this article, we will be focusing on zinc as a supplement and outlining its benefits, side effects, and dosage details.

Zinc, like any other supplement, is available in a variety of forms, including chewable tablets, capsules, and liquids. So, let’s begin with the most basic question: “Which form of zinc is best absorbed?” If you’re familiar with our article “How to Absorb Multivitamins Better,” you may already know some of the immense benefits of liquid supplements. Zinc liquid is no different! In fact, just like liquid multivitamins, a liquid zinc supplement is by far the best way to make sure your body makes the most of each dosage.

When you take your supplements in the form of chewables or capsules, there is a solid barrier surrounding the nutrients that your body must break down first before it’s able to retrieve the dosage inside. That added step of digestion elongates the absorption process. The longer it takes for your body to absorb the nutrients from your supplement, the greater the risk that some of your dosage will pass through your body before it has been fully absorbed. In order to ensure that every ounce of valuable nutrients makes it into your bloodstream, you should cut out that digestion step entirely by taking your supplements in liquid form. A liquid supplement never requires your body to break anything down. Instead, the nutrients are absorbed quickly and efficiently directly into the bloodstream, giving you the full dosage every single time. Therefore, the best zinc supplement for absorption is going to be of the liquid variety.

Depending on your body’s unique needs, the best liquid supplement for you may be either in the form of individual zinc liquid drops or included inside your larger multivitamin. As we’ll go over in the next section, it’s important to always consult your physician before bringing a new supplement into your diet so you can figure out how to take liquid zinc in the way that works best for you.

What Is Liquid Zinc Good For

Now, you may be wondering “What is liquid zinc good for?” Let’s take a moment to explain its impact on and importance for overall health. As one of the many micronutrients your body requires on a daily basis, zinc plays a vital role in many different systems and processes within the human body, such as immune function, wound healing, growth and development, and DNA synthesis (1). Lots of foods contain zinc, like meat, legumes, nuts, dairy, and eggs, but it can be hard to incorporate enough of them into your diet every day. This is where the liquid zinc supplement benefits come into play.

Below, we’ve listed and explained some common benefits associated with zinc supplements.

• Zinc benefits for skin: Zinc is an anti-inflammatory nutrient, making it an excellent means of decreasing redness and irritation to the skin. It also has the ability to reduce excessive oil production, which is often a main cause of acne for people with oily skin.
• Zinc benefits for the heart: As we mentioned, zinc has many anti-inflammatory benefits. Reducing inflammation can help prevent or lessen the symptoms of chronic illnesses such as heart disease and cancer. 
• Zinc benefits for women: Since zinc plays a large role in the body’s development and the proper creation of DNA, it’s an extremely important nutrient for those who are pregnant as well as young children. Pregnant parents who develop a zinc deficiency run the risk of going into early labor.
• Zinc benefits for the elderly: Similar to vitamin C, zinc is commonly known as an immune system booster. This is particularly beneficial for elderly people whose immune defenses can wear down gradually over time, making them more vulnerable to diseases like pneumonia or even the common cold (2).

Just like any other supplement, liquid zinc side effects are always a possibility. The old saying that too much of a good thing can be harmful applies to vitamins and minerals just as much as anything else. Some common zinc supplement side effects include copper deficiency, indigestion, and nausea (3). However, keep in mind that zinc and other micronutrients are generally very safe for the body as long as you avoid taking them in excessive amounts. Just remember not to go overboard and stick to the recommended dosages listed on your supplement’s package or the instructions of your doctor.

Best Liquid Zinc 

Liquid zinc is available in numerous different forms, so the best liquid zinc supplement for you may vary according to your health goals. Below, we have listed and explained the differences between some of the most common types of zinc supplements and what their benefits are.

• Liquid zinc picolinate: Zinc picolinate is an acidic form of zinc that is generally considered to be easier for your body to absorb compared to other types of zinc. If absorption is something you worry about or your body regularly has trouble with absorption, you may want to consider taking zinc picolinate (4). 
• Organic liquid zinc: Organic supplements are those which do not contain any synthetic materials and are instead harvested from natural sources. Since organic ingredients are typically healthier for the body overall, we highly recommend organic liquid zinc supplements. In fact, as we will discuss later, organic liquid zinc sulfate in particular can be great for improving acne.
• Zinc liquid concentrate: As its name implies, this is a concentrated form of zinc. Usually available in the form of liquid drops, you will only need to use one or two of these powerful drops to receive your full daily dosage of zinc.
• Ionic zinc: The most widely recognized form of zinc within the body is ionic zinc. In this case, the zinc utilized in the supplement takes the form of ions, which can be readily absorbed by the intestines. Like zinc picolinate, ionic zinc is another means of increasing the efficiency of absorption.

Best Zinc Supplement 

Depending on your body’s individual needs, you may benefit from certain zinc supplements more than others. Below, we’ve provided a few examples to help you determine the best zinc supplement to suit your health goals and routine.

• Best zinc supplement for immune system: Zinc plays an extremely important role in the healthy function of the immune system. For this reason, you want a zinc supplement that absorbs the most efficiently in order to ensure your body receives the full dosage that it needs. We recommend zinc picolinate, which is one of the most easily absorbed forms of zinc, as well as zinc gluconate (5).
• Best zinc supplement for testosterone: Zinc deficiencies have occasionally been linked with low levels of testosterone. In order to avoid low testosterone levels and keep your physical performance levels where you want them, it’s important to make sure your body regularly receives enough zinc. As we recommended for the immune system, you will want a form of zinc that is easily absorbed, such as zinc picolinate, or even ionic zinc. Thanks to this ability to prevent low testosterone levels, these efficient absorption options are the best zinc supplement for men as well.
• Best zinc supplement for acne: Zinc sulfate is generally considered to be an excellent choice for treating acne, as its anti-inflammatory properties can greatly reduce swelling and redness. For this reason, it is also the best zinc supplement for skin.

How Much Zinc Is Too Much 

Since, as we mentioned above, there is the possibility of running into side effects when zinc supplements are taken excessively, you may be wondering, “How much zinc is too much?” The answer depends on both how much your body needs, especially if you have a zinc deficiency, and how often you take your supplement. Remember that the only way of experiencing intense side effects is to consume excessive amounts of a nutrient. So, if you’re asking yourself, “Is 50mg of zinc too much?” the answer is yes, when taken daily. The average daily dosage will normally range from about 5-15 mg per day. The following is a daily dosage chart as outlined by the Mayo Clinic (6):

• Adult and teenage males: 15 mg per day.
• Adult and teenage females: 12 mg per day.
• Pregnant individuals: 15 mg per day.
• Nursing individuals: 16 to 19 mg per day.
• Children 4 to 10 years of age: 10 mg per day.
• Children 0 to 3 years of age: 5 to 10 mg per day.

As long as you do not regularly exceed these daily recommended amounts of zinc, then you won’t experience any lasting or detrimental side effects from your zinc supplement. However, as a general rule, most people, regardless of gender and age, can benefit from the same amount of zinc taken daily. The zinc dosage for elderly people can be the same as the dosage for adults and teens. One of the best ways to ensure that every member of your family receives a healthy amount of this vital nutrient is to take a liquid multivitamin.

The best liquid multivitamin for all ages is Better Family’s Liquid Daily Multivitamin. On top of the daily recommended amount of zinc, our diverse blend of vital micronutrients includes all of the B complex vitamins, vitamins A, E, D, and K, and important minerals like iodine, selenium, and chromium. This all-in-one liquid solution can be consumed sublingually and is more concentrated than other liquid multivitamins, making it the standout choice 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.

References

1. Kubala, Jillian. “Zinc: Everything You Need to Know.” healthline, 14 November 2018, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/zinc.
2. Lawler, Moira. “7 Potential Benefits of Zinc Supplements.” Everyday Health, 9 March 2021, https://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-nutrition/potential-benefits-of-zinc-supplements.
3. Mayo Clinic Staff. “Zinc.” Mayo Clinic, 17 November 2020, https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-zinc/art-20366112.
4. Link, Rachael. “What Are Zinc Supplements Good For? Benefits and More.” healthline, 10 January 2019, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/zinc-supplements.
5. Head, Kathi. “Why Zinc Form Matters for Immune Support.” Thorne, 21 December 2020, https://www.thorne.com/take-5-daily/article/why-zinc-form-matters-for-immune-support.
6. “Zinc Supplement (Oral Route, Parenteral Route).” Mayo Clinic, 1 July 2021, https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/zinc-supplement-oral-route-parenteral-route/proper-use/drg-20070269.