Introducing Zinc Supplements to Your Diet
Vitamins and minerals are probably the most commonly used form of dietary supplements in the world, and as a mineral zinc falls into this category.
Adding minerals such as a zinc to your diet can be a great way of bolstering your health and well-being, optimizing hormonal functions and giving your immune system the support it needs to operate at maximum capacity. This is particularly relevant to athletes and bodybuilders who are consistently placing great demands on their bodies, making zinc and excellent product to add to your daily regimen.
Today we are going to explore what zinc is, how it may be of benefit to you, and what to look for when purchasing a zinc supplement.After this we will move on to our 2017 list of the best zinc supplements so that you can more easily determine which one will be the right choice for you. Our zinc supplement rankings are based on criteria such as feedback received from users, popularity of products, and the overall value for money you can expect to receive from each product.
With all of this information under your belt you should have everything you need to pick an effective and cost-effective zinc supplement to use on a daily basis.
See also: 10 Best Glucosamine Supplements for 2017
What to Look for in a Zinc Product
The most important thing to look at when purchasing a zinc supplement is the form of zinc that it uses. Zinc oxide and zinc carbonate have been shown to be very poorly absorbed by the human body, making them some optimal choices as far as a zinc supplements are concerned.[2]
Other studies looking at the bioavailability and overall effectiveness of zinc variations have found that zinc glycinate is the best absorbed.[3]
Additionally, zinc picolinate is more readily absorbed by the human body than zinc gluconate or zinc citrate.[4] With this in mind we recommend opting for a zinc supplement that uses either zinc picolinate or zinc glycinate. Most of our entries in the list below will be one of these two forms. Other than the form of zinc used in your product, you should ensure that you are using a zinc supplement has been well received by users and it has received plenty of positive feedback.
Of course cost-effectiveness is also a significant factor, and it appears as if zinc picolinate supplements tend to be more affordable than those which use zinc glycinate.
- How much you get for the price
- Reviews and User Feedback, you can find this online
- How easy it is to take
- Ingredient quality and amount
- How well it’s produced
- How good the company that makes it is
Our zinc supplement rankings below have taken all of these different factors into consideration to save you from having to perform countless hours of research, so without further ado best take a look at this year’s best zinc supplements.
10 Best Zinc Supplements on the Market
10.) Life Extension OptiZinc
Highlights:
- Provides 30 mg of Zinc per serving
- Zinc is provided in the form of Zinc Monomethionine
- Available in packages containing 90 capsules
- Suitable for vegans and vegetarians
- Designed to stimulate hormonal production and metabolism
Life Extension OptiZinc is a relatively simple stand-alone zinc supplement that uses Zinc Monomethionine in a basic formulation to help boost your everyday health and well-being by enhancing your immune function, among other benefits.
With 30 mg of zinc in every serving, Life Extension OptiZinc falls well within the Upper Tolerable Limit, making it a safe and effective supplement for you to use on a daily basis.
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$5.96 | Buy Now |
9.) Solaray – Zinc Copper
Highlights:
- Provides 50 mg of Zinc per serving
- Zinc is provided in the form of Zinc Amino Acid Chelate
- Also provides 2 mg of Copper and 53 µg of Iodine (from Kelp) per serving
- Available in packages containing 100 capsules
- Suitable for vegans and vegetarians
What we have here is a very intelligently formulated zinc supplement that combines Zinc Amino Acid Chelate with Copper to prevent you from ever developing a copper deficiency due to excessive zinc consumption.
To make things even better, Solaray – Zinc Copper also includes additional Iodine sourced from vegetarian-friendly kelp to provide you with thyroid support and help increase your metabolic rate.
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$7.79 | Buy Now |
8.) Jarrow Formulas Zinc Balance
Highlights:
- Provides 30 mg of Zinc per serving
- Zinc is provided in the form of Zinc Monomethionine
- Designed to support immune function and provide antioxidant protection
- Also provides 1 mg of Copper per serving in the form of Copper Gluconate
- Available in packages containing 100 capsules
Jarrow Formulas Zinc Balance combines Zinc Monomethionine with Copper Gluconate to prevent any deficiencies from occurring while ensuring you receive adequate dosages of these essential trace minerals.
With each bottle containing 100 capsules, Jarrow Formulas Zinc Balance provides more than a three month supply with every order that you place.
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$6.83 | Buy Now |
7.) Source Naturals OptiZinc
Highlights:
- Provides 30 mg of Zinc per serving
- Zinc is provided in the form of Zinc Monomethionine
- Provides 300 µg of Copper in the form of Copper Sebacate
- Designed to support enzymatic function and cell repair within the body
- Available in packages containing 240 tablets
Source Naturals OptiZinc takes things even further by providing you with 240 tablets in every single bottle so that you can enjoy Zinc and Copper in your daily diet for many months without having to purchase an additional bottle.
If you are looking for a zinc supplement that allows you to purchase a large quantity at a reasonable price so that you can forget about it and simply take your dose each day than you will definitely want to consider checking out Source Naturals OptiZinc.
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$13.65 | Buy Now |
6.) Nature Made Zinc
Highlights:
- Provides 30 mg of Zinc per serving
- Zinc is provided in the form of Zinc Gluconate
- Suitable for vegans and vegetarians
- Available in packages containing 100 capsules
- Supports the immune system and promotes optimal hormonal function
We mentioned above that Zinc Gluconate is one of the best forms of zinc in terms of bioavailability and absorption rates, so it should come as no surprise that Nature Made Zinc ranks highly in this year’s list.
Nature Made Zinc provides 30 mg of zinc in each serving, giving your body what it needs for a healthy endocrine system and optimal immune function on an ongoing basis.
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$6.59 | Buy Now |
Top 5 Zinc Supplements
5.) Ultimate Nutrition Zinc
Highlights:
- Provides 30 mg of Zinc per serving
- Zinc is provided in the form of Zinc Gluconate
- Available in bottles containing 120 tablets
- Suitable for vegans and vegetarians
- Ideal for enhancing testosterone production in men
Ultimate Nutrition Zinc is another zinc supplement that uses the highly effective form of Zinc Gluconate, but this time in a bottle containing 120 tablets for a solid three month supply.
This zinc product is perfectly suitable for vegans and vegetarians and is a fantastic supplement to add to your daily intake if you are training hard on a consistent basis and feel like you need some additional hormonal support.
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$5.99 | Buy Now |
4.) Optimum Nutrition ZMA
Highlights:
- Provides 30 mg of Zinc per serving
- Zinc is provided in the form of Zinc Monomethionine and Aspartate
- Also includes Magnesium Aspartate and Vitamin B6 as part of the patented ZMA formula
- Available in bottles containing 180 capsules
- Designed to promote restful sleep and recovery from training
ZMA is a very popular supplement that combines zinc with magnesium and Vitamin B6 to prove your quality of sleep, accelerate your rate of recovery from training, and providing overall boost to your testosterone production.
Optimum Nutrition ZMA comes in bottles providing a three month supply, and with a name like Optimum Nutrition on the bottle you can rest assured that you are receiving a world class product.
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$12.09 | Buy Now |
3.) Nature’s Bounty Chelated Zinc
Highlights:
- Provides 50 mg of Zinc per serving
- Designed to support a healthy immune system
- Zinc is provided in the form of Chelated Zinc Gluconate
- Available in bottles containing 50 caplets
- Suitable for vegans and vegetarians
Nature’s Bounty Chelated Zinc uses the ever popular Zinc Gluconate, but in a chelated amino acid form for even greater rates of bioavailability and absorption to deliver even better value for money.
Nature’s Bounty Chelated Zinc provides 50 mg of zinc in every serving, which is admittedly a little high. Nevertheless, this is an excellent product brought to you by a highly reputable and trustworthy supplement manufacturer.
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$3.89 | Buy Now |
2.) Garden of Life Vitamin Code® – Zinc
Highlights:
- Provides 30 mg of Zinc per serving
- Also includes a Raw Veggie Mineral Blend for additional health benefits
- Contains a Raw Probiotics and Enzyme Blend for enhanced digestive health
- Includes a range of plant extracts, fibre, enzymes, and much more
- Provides 60 mg of Vitamin C per serving
- Available in bottles containing 30 servings
Garden of Life Vitamin Code® – Zinc is a wonderfully well rounded zinc supplement that contains additional plant extracts, probiotics, and digestive enzymes to keep you feeling and looking great regardless of what life might throw at you.
If you want a zinc supplement that provides a whole lot more than just its mineral content then you will definitely want to consider checking out Garden of Life Vitamin Code® – Zinc because the health benefits are truly multitudinous!
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$9.40 | Buy Now |
1.) Now Foods Zinc Picolinate – Best Zinc Supplement
Highlights:
- Provides 50 mg of Zinc per serving
- Zinc is provided in the form of Zinc Picolinate
- Available in bottles containing 120 capsules
- Designed to support the immune system and enhanced enzymatic function
- Suitable for vegans and vegetarians
Zinc Picolinate is arguably the best form of zinc to use when purchasing a zinc supplement, so should come as no surprise that Now Foods Zinc Picolinate is the winner of this year’s Best Zinc Supplement award.
Now Foods Zinc Picolinate is an excellent product brought to you by one of the world’s leading manufacturer of dietary supplements, and we really couldn’t recommend it strongly enough.
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$10.69 | Buy Now |
What is Zinc? A Beginners Guide to Zinc
Zinc is a chemical element and mineral that plays many important roles throughout the human body.
Zinc is known as being an essential mineral, and with more than 2 billion people around the world suffering from zinc deficiency, its importance in human health cannot be understated.
Deficiency of zinc has been linked to a number of different health conditions, including a weakened immune system, diarrhoea and dehydration, and even stunted growth in children.
On the other hand, excessive consumption of zinc can cause individuals to develop a copper deficiency, as well as leading to lethargy and other related issues.
What Are the Uses of Zinc?
Originally discovered in its pure metallic form in 1746, zinc is now widely used in a variety of commercial and industrial contexts. Zinc is used in everything from luminescent paints to anti-dandruff shampoos, and of course the dietary supplements that we are all familiar with.
Of course it is the latter that we are going to be focusing on today.
Depending on who you ask zinc occurs in between 100 and 300 enzymes throughout the human body, and is second in abundance only to iron in terms of metals found in the body.
Zinc is particularly important to male sexual health, playing a crucial role in the health of the prostate gland and reproductive system as a whole. Zinc also occurs in high concentrations in the brain, kidneys, eyes, and muscles. Guys suffering from lacking libido, low testosterone and even depression can all benefit from taking a zinc supplement.
There are approximately 2 – 4 g of zinc spread throughout the human body, affecting factors such as gene expression, DNA and RNA synthesis, and various aspects of metabolism and hormonal signalling.
Who Can Benefit From Zinc, How, Why?
Zinc may prove to be a beneficial supplement for many different types of people; however, this does not mean that it is entirely necessary.
If you are already eating plenty of dietary sources of zinc then you may not need to worry about adding a zinc supplement to your diet.
As a point of reference, dietary sources of zinc include:
- Beef
- Nuts, especially Almonds
- Seeds, especially Pumpkin, Sunflower, and Sesame
- Beans
- Whole Grains
If you do decide to use a zinc supplement then you will definitely want to consider cycling off of it from time to time because prolonged intake can result in copper deficiency as we discussed above.[1]
Having said that, zinc supplements can be incredibly useful if you have recently undergone surgery or suffered a severe burn.
Zinc supplements may also prove to be beneficial for men who are looking to support optimal hormonal function, and in particular testosterone production.
Benefits of Zinc Supplements for Men
These are just a handful of useful benefits of zinc for men:
- Increases testosterone levels
- Boosts libido
- Promotes healthy sperm
- Helps reduce risk of prostate cancer
- Fights cold symptoms
- Helps with acne
- Can slow down baldness
- Promotes healthy cells and thyroid
Benefits of Zinc Supplements for Women
Zinc does not only benefit men, obviously. There are also some great benefits of zinc for women:
- Promotes strong bones
- Helps maintain a healthy pregnancy
- Increases protein synthesis
- Boosts the immune system
- Helps fight the negative effects of menstruation
- Increases mood
See also: Top 10 Testosterone Boosters for Men
What Types of Zinc are There?
Zinc supplements come in 7 different chemical structures
- Zinc Glycerate
- Zinc Acetate
- Zinc Sulfate
- Zinc Oxide
- Zinc Monomethionine
- Zinc Gluconate
- Zinc Picolinate
These 7 different forms exist because zinc, in its natural form, cannot be easily absorbed by the body. In order to enhance absorption optimization by our bodies, companies offer zinc that is combined with picolinic amino acids, such as zinc picolinate, or they offer them in inorganic fashion such as zinc oxide and sulfate.
What Is the Best Type of Zinc Supplement to Take?
Zinc Picolinate is usually the most often recommended form of zinc supplement to take. The reason being is that zinc picolinate is the most optimized form of zinc for absorption by our bodies. This means that, your blood cells get the maximum dose of zinc per gram. Allowing them to absorb and digest it at a higher rate. Zinc Picolinate is also very affordable, often being even cheaper than the other 6 forms. You really get the most value for your money. There is a good study you can reference here if you want more info on the different types of zinc supplements.
See also: Top 10 Multivitamins for Men
How and When Do I Take Zinc?
Always follow the usage guidelines provided by the manufacturer on any zinc supplement you purchase.
What’s more, zinc should not be used by pregnant or breastfeeding women, nor should it be used by individuals under the age of 18.
Consult your doctor or physician prior to using zinc if you have any pre-existing medical conditions or if you are currently using prescription medication.
Please note that these statements have been neither written nor reviewed by a doctor or medical authority of any kind.
Wrapping Up
Choosing a decent zinc supplement is actually a relatively simple affair, as can be seen by the fairly limited variety of zinc supplements on the market. Nevertheless, it is definitely worth taking your time to think about which form of zinc you are going to use.
Zinc Picolinate is almost certainly the best form of zinc to use out of the products that we have looked at today, and this is exactly why Now Foods Zinc Picolinate sits at the top of our zinc supplement rankings this year.
Although Now Foods Zinc Picolinate is this year’s best zinc supplement, Garden of Life Vitamin Code® – Zinc definitely deserves an honorary mention because of its additional Raw Veggie Mineral Blend and Raw Probiotics and Enzyme Blend.
Incorporating these extra ingredients into its formula means that if you do decide to purchase Garden of Life Vitamin Code® – Zinc, you could end up saving a decent amount of money that would otherwise be spent on other vitamins and digestive aids.
See also: 10 Best Fiber Supplements for 2017
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The post 10 Best Zinc Supplements – Information and Zinc Product Listing for 2017 appeared first on Supplement Hound - Supplement Reviews for 2016.
from Supplement Hound – Supplement Reviews for 2016 http://supplementhound.com/best-zinc-supplements/
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