Zinc Gluconate or Zinc Picolinate
Zinc is an essential trace mineral that you need in small amounts for healthy growth and development. It has antioxidant properties and is required for a healthy immune system, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. You can get zinc by eating certain foods, and it is also available in various supplements, including zinc picolinate and zinc gluconate, which come from different sources.
Zinc Picolinate
Zinc picolinate is a form of zinc that has been artificially bonded or combined with picolinic acid. This process makes it easier for your body to absorb zinc from a supplement. Picolination facilitates the passage of this mineral through the walls of the digestive tract and into the blood, where your body can use it.
Zinc Gluconate
Acid Reflux & Zinc
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Zinc gluconate is the zinc salt of gluconic acid. A study published in the September 2006 issue of "Food Technology and Biotechnology" notes that zinc gluconate is more soluble than other zinc salts and easier on the stomach. Supplements with this type of zinc are easier to absorb and used faster by the body. Research in the "Annals of Internal Medicine" concluded that zinc gluconate is the best form to help boost your immune system and reduce symptoms of the common cold.
- Zinc gluconate is the zinc salt of gluconic acid.
- A study published in the September 2006 issue of "Food Technology and Biotechnology" notes that zinc gluconate is more soluble than other zinc salts and easier on the stomach.
Zinc Availability
A study at Bastyr University Research Institute compared the absorption of three different forms of zinc, including zinc picolinate and zinc gluconate. Researchers noted that zinc levels in the blood rose significantly when patients took zinc picolinate supplements, but showed no significant change when other forms of zinc were taken. This may indicate that the best form of zinc to get in a supplement is zinc picolinate.
Warnings
Zinc Citrate Side Effects
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Consult with your healthcare provider about taking zinc supplements. Zinc and other supplements can cause side effects and interact with other medications. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, common side effects of zinc include stomach upset, nausea, vomiting and a metallic taste in the mouth. Furthermore, high doses can cause dizziness, headache, drowsiness, increased sweating, loss of muscle coordination, alcohol intolerance, hallucinations and anemia.
- Consult with your healthcare provider about taking zinc supplements.
- Zinc and other supplements can cause side effects and interact with other medications.
Related Articles
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Zinc
- Olympus Microscopy Research Center: Picolinic Acid Time Lapse Sequence
- ZincGluconateFacts.com: Zinc Gluconate Facts
- Bastyr University Research Institute; The Comparative Absorption of Zinc Picolinate, Zinc Citrate and Zinc Gluconate in Humans; S.A. Barris, et al.; June 1987
- "Food Technology and Biotechnology"; Gluconic Acid: Properties, Applications and Microbial Production; Sumitra Ramachandran, et al.; March 2006
- IndustrialMetalCastings.com: Zinc
- National Institutes of Health. Office of Dietary Supplements. Zinc Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. Updated March 6, 2020.
- Wessels I, Maywald M, Rink L. Zinc as a Gatekeeper of Immune Function. Nutrients. 2017;9(12):1286. doi:10.3390/nu9121286
- Mousa HA. Prevention and Treatment of Influenza, Influenza-Like Illness, and Common Cold by Herbal, Complementary, and Natural Therapies. J Evid Based Complementary Altern Med. 2017;22(1):166-174. doi:10.1177/2156587216641831
- Krebs NF, Miller LV, Hambidge KM. Zinc deficiency in infants and children: a review of its complex and synergistic interactions. Paediatr Int Child Health. 2014;34(4):279-288. doi:10.1179/2046905514Y.0000000151
- Gogia S, Sachdev HS. Zinc supplementation for mental and motor development in children. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012;12:CD007991. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD007991.pub2
- Ogawa Y, Kinoshita M, Shimada S, Kawamura T. Zinc and Skin Disorders. Nutrients. 2018;10(2):199. doi:10.3390/nu10020199
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- Khan WU, Sellen DW. World Health Organization. Zinc supplementation in the management of diarrhoea. 2011.
- Petrilli MA, Kranz TM, Kleinhaus K, et al. The Emerging Role for Zinc in Depression and Psychosis. Front Pharmacol. 2017;8:414. doi:10.3389/fphar.2017.00414
- Fallah A, Mohammad-Hasani A, Colagar AH. Zinc is an Essential Element for Male Fertility: A Review of Zn Roles in Men's Health, Germination, Sperm Quality, and Fertilization. J Reprod Infertil. 2018;19(2):69‐81.
- Zhao J, Dong X, Hu X, et al. Zinc levels in seminal plasma and their correlation with male infertility: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sci Rep. 2016;6:22386. Published 2016 Mar 2. doi:10.1038/srep22386
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. Oysters, Raw. FoodData Central. Updated 2020.
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Writer Bio
Becky Miller, an ACE-certified personal trainer, has designed strength training programs for people of all ages and fitness levels since 2001. She specializes in empowering women of the baby-boomer generation. Her writing career began in 2004, authoring weekly fitness columns and feature articles for the "Navarre Press" in Florida. She earned her B.S. in business from the University of Colorado.