Natural Medical SolutionsZinc is a mineral found in cells all through your body. It helps your immune system fight off bacteria and viruses, helps wounds heal, and is needed for your sense of taste.
What does zinc do?
Zinc is in cells throughout your body. It does several jobs:
- Helps your immune system fight off bacteria and viruses
- Helps your body make DNA and proteins
- Helps wounds heal
- Keeps your sense of taste working properly
Your body also needs zinc to grow and develop during pregnancy, infancy, childhood and the teenage years.
How much zinc do you need?
It depends on your age. The average daily recommended amounts are:
- Adult men: 11 mg
- Adult women: 8 mg
- Pregnant women: 11 mg
- Breastfeeding women: 12 mg
- Teens 14 to 18: 11 mg for males, 9 mg for females
- Children 9 to 13: 8 mg
- Children 4 to 8: 5 mg
- Children 1 to 3: 3 mg
Can you take too much zinc?
Yes. Too much zinc is harmful.
Short term signs of too much include feeling sick, dizziness, headaches, upset stomach, vomiting and loss of appetite.
Taking too much for a long time causes different problems:
- Lower immunity, which is the opposite of why most people take it
- Low HDL cholesterol, the good kind
- Low copper levels
Very high doses can also reduce how much magnesium your body absorbs.
The adult upper limit is 40 mg a day. That counts all sources together: food, drinks, supplements and medicines. For younger ages it is:
- Teens 14 to 18: 34 mg
- Ages 9 to 13: 23 mg
- Ages 4 to 8: 12 mg
- Ages 1 to 3: 7 mg
These limits do not apply if you take zinc for a medical reason under a doctor's care.
Can denture cream cause zinc problems?
It can, and this one surprises people.
Some denture creams contain zinc. Using large amounts, well beyond what the label says, can push your zinc intake too high and leave you short of copper.
Copper deficiency can cause nerve problems, including loss of coordination, numbness and weakness in the arms, legs and feet.
If you use a lot of denture cream, check whether it contains zinc.
Who should be careful with zinc?
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking a zinc supplement if you take:
- Quinolone antibiotics, such as Cipro
- Tetracycline antibiotics, such as Achromycin or Sumycin
- Penicillamine, used for rheumatoid arthritis and Wilson disease
- Thiazide water pills, such as chlorthalidone or hydrochlorothiazide
Most of these are about timing rather than avoiding zinc altogether. See below.
Does Zinc interact with any medications?
Talk to your doctor and pharmacist before taking zinc if you take any prescription medicine. The list below is not complete.
Taken together, your body absorbs less of both the zinc and the antibiotic. Timing fixes it: take the antibiotic at least 2 hours before, or 4 to 6 hours after, your zinc supplement.
Zinc reduces how much penicillamine your body absorbs. Take the two at least 1 hour apart.
These increase the amount of zinc you lose in urine. Taking them for a long time might leave you low in zinc.
Common questions about zinc
Can too much zinc weaken your immune system?
How much zinc is too much?
When should I take zinc if I am on antibiotics?
Does zinc affect copper?
Related on this site
Where this information comes from
Written from NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, a public-domain resource from the U.S. National Institutes of Health. Information retrieved 2026-08-21.
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