Best Zinc: A Pharmacist’s Review (2025)

Best absorbable zinc: our review

Nous avons analysé 13 produits vendus sur Internet selon 7 critères, et avons retenu ces 2 compléments de zinc :

# Meilleur zinc assimilable : Le Zinc – Nutri&Co

# Meilleur rapport qualité / prix : Zinc Bisglycinate – Novoma

Our selection criteria

• Form : the form of zinc determines its potential for absorption. Liposomal and bisglycinate forms are recommended.
• Combination : zinc is generally combined with other nutrients to enhance its effectiveness and/or its absorption by the body.
• Certificate of analysis: checks for the absence of heavy metals and suspicious solvents
• Price / day: this is the price per day of the course at the daily dose recommended by the brand.
• Customer reviews: these customer reviews for the product are retrieved from the brand’s website, review sites, or Amazon.
• Our opinion of the brand: based on the monthly tests of dietary supplement brands we carry out.

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Best absorbable zinc

This supplement is one of the few to combine two forms of zinc: liposome and gluconate. These two delivery routes thus contribute to optimal absorption by the body.

Zinc is micro-encapsulated in fatty acids that protect it from external interactions. This results in higher bioavailability than bisglycinate, the most common form found in pharmacies.

It contains 10 mg of zinc per capsule, which is 100% of the recommended daily intake.

Finally, the presence of selenium strengthens zinc’s action across different systems.

Nous aimons bien la marque Nutri&Co car elle est fiable et transparente (lire notre test complet ici pour en savoir plus). On constate par ailleurs que les avis clients sont très bons.

Cette marque est basée à Aix en Provence et attache une importance particulière à la qualité des actifs de ses produits.

→ Free surprise promo code: DARWINGIFT (minimum order €70)

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Best value for money

The Novoma brand offers a quality zinc supplement made in France, at a competitive price.

It’s a synergistic formula based on patented TRAACS® zinc bisglycinate that is highly bioavailable. It is guaranteed 100% pure.

L’association avec la vitamine B6 est destinée à augmenter la résistance de l’organisme en contribuant au bon fonctionnement du système immunitaire, ainsi qu’à favoriser la beauté de la peau, des ongles et des cheveux.

Novoma est une marque française de qualité proposant des compléments concentrés en actifs, à des prix maitrisés (lisez notre test complet ici). Nous apprécions la qualité du service client et la traçabilité des produits.

→ Code promo 5€ offerts : DARWIN-5 (sans minimum d’achat)

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What are the benefits of zinc?

Zinc is a trace element found in seafood, red meats, cheeses, nuts and oilseeds, and wheat germ. 

It has multiple benefits, and supplementation may be recommended in certain situations.

It is involved in numerous vital enzymatic reactions necessary for our body’s proper functioning: protein synthesis, skin repair, hair health, and support for vision and bone health. 

Zinc is also essential for neurological function, immune function, and reproduction — and that’s no small thing!

An overall effect on immunity and inflammation

Zinc actively participates in the immune process, and enables proper communication between immune cells. Thus, a study published in the journal Auto-immune states that an acute deficiency induces a reduction in overall immunity. 

Furthermore, chronic deficiency increases inflammation and notably affects the progression of inflammatory conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis.

Another study concludes that supplementation is an effective and safe measure to reduce the duration and risk of complications of an infection such as gastroenteritis.

Finally, the anti-inflammatory effects of zinc are widely used in people with acne.

Supplementation reduces redness and the size of pimples and helps balance sebum production, as shown this study.

Support for our neurons and vision

Zinc is found naturally in all tissues, but it is especially abundant in our brain. It is essential for the formation of neurons, as well as for the formation of neuronal interconnections. 

Thus, the Journal of Nutrition reveals that a deficiency leads to overall aging and increases the risk of developing neurological disorders.

It also plays an essential role in the maintenance of vision, as this trace element is present at high concentrations in ocular tissue.

A study in the American Journal of Nutrition indicates that a zinc deficiency influences the progression of chronic eye diseases.

Which form should you choose?

In capsules or tablets

These are the most commonly found packaging formats. Conveniently, capsules and tablets can contain all possible forms of zinc and allow achieving a sufficient concentration for significant efficacy. 

Capsules often contain additives used to fill the capsule. Excipients can be natural, such as rice fiber or acacia fiber. This source should be favored because it is better tolerated by the digestive system.

In liquid form

Zinc can be offered in a bottled liquid form. The liquid form allows easy administration for those who have difficulty swallowing capsules. 

It can be found combined with other minerals such as copper or iron, which can interfere with its proper absorption. In addition, sugars and flavorings may be added: again and always, check the product ingredients! 

It can also be found in the form of ampoules, notably in oligotherapy laboratories. Dosages can vary and may contain sugar derivatives.

What criteria should you consider?

1. Origin of zinc

Zinc in dietary supplements can be of natural or chemical origin.

The natural form is the lesser-known of the two. It comes from a brown seaweed called Kelp cultivated in organic farming. Zinc extraction does not involve chemicals and is done using only water. Some laboratories offer an EU origin.

Recently, another natural form has appeared: a zinc produced by fermentation of a fungus called Aspergillus oryzae.

These two natural forms yield organic zinc, a highly bioavailable form.

The one produced by chemical synthesis is by far predominant on the dietary supplement market. In this form, zinc is necessarily combined with another substance, because it does not exist pure in nature. 

The synthetic form contains many types of zinc, with very variable quality and absorption.

2. Different forms of zinc

Aside from the natural form, it is found in a chemical form called “chelated”, where it is bound to another compound. This association facilitates its protection, transport and absorption to its site of action.

Depending on the product, it may be associated with different molecules: 

– to ions: sulfate or oxide. I advise against the oxide form, which is insoluble in water and less well absorbed by the body. 

– to compounds called organic acids: gluconate, citrate, zinc picolinate. These forms are well absorbed, unlike the oxide form. 

– to amino acids, notably glycine, which forms the molecule zinc bisglycinate. This latter form is called amino-chelated zinc.

Finally, avoid products containing additives in their composition, especially citric or tartaric acid, which could inhibit its antiviral activity.

3. Zinc dosage

Le dosage peut dépendre selon les indications ! En règle générale, il est recommandé de prendre 10 à 15 mg de zinc par jour, en dehors des repas. 

For the treatment of acne, 30 mg per day is recommended for a significant effect.

Make sure that the daily dose provides these concentrations. Indeed, it can be present at low doses, notably in oligotherapy, a practice that involves administering a trace element to the body in small amounts.

4. Organic certification

Most dietary supplements are manufactured synthetically, and therefore are not from organic farming. 

However, as we have just seen, zinc occurs naturally in kelp, a brown seaweed rich in minerals. The seaweed is grown in unpolluted basins, and the extraction requires no solvents or chemicals, thus allowing organic certification. 

Kelp seaweed is also called wrack, and its Latin name is fucus vesiculosus. You will find one of these names on the back of organic zinc-based products. 

5. Combination with vitamins

Many dietary supplements combine zinc and vitamin B6. Vitamin B6 improves absorption and works synergistically in the body, particularly supporting nervous and immune function. 

You will also find zinc-vitamin C pairs in dietary supplements indicated for immune support and fatigue.

When combined with vitamins, the zinc in the product may be low; be sure to check that its daily amount is sufficient.

What precautions should be taken and when should you supplement with zinc?

A course of zinc supplementation is recommended particularly for people at risk of deficiencies: vegetarians, those taking anticonvulsant medications, antihypertensive medications, or oral contraceptives. 

Allow a 2-hour interval between taking zinc and other medications.

Zinc should be taken only after medical advice if you are taking other treatments, to avoid any interactions.

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Best absorbable zinc

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Best value for money

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