ZINCSUPPLEMENTS (Systemic)

Some commonly used brand names are:

In the U.S.?

• Orazinc ³
• Verazinc ⁴
• Zinc-220 ⁴
• Zinc 15 ⁴
• Zinca-Pak ⁴
• Zincate ⁴

Category

• Copper absorption inhibitor?Zinc Chloride; Zinc Gluconate; Zinc Sulfate
• Nutritionalsupplement, mineral?Zinc Chloride; Zinc Gluconate; ZincSulfate

Description

Zinc supplements are used to prevent or treat zinc deficiency.

The body needs zinc for normal growth and health. For patients who areunable to get enough zinc in their regular diet or who have a need for morezinc, zinc supplements may be necessary. They are generally taken by mouthbut some patients may have to receive them by injection.

Zinc supplements may be used for other conditions as determined by yourhealth care professional.

Lack of zinc may lead to poor night vision and wound-healing, a decreasein sense of taste and smell, a reduced ability to fight infections, and poordevelopment of reproductive organs.

Some conditions may increase your need for zinc. These include:

• Acrodermatitis enteropathica (a lack of absorption of zinc from theintestine)
• Alcoholism
• Burns
• Type 2 diabetes mellitus
• Down's syndrome
• Eating disorders
• Intestine diseases
• Infections (continuing or chronic)
• Kidney disease
• Liver disease
• Pancreas disease
• Sickle cell disease
• Skin disorders
• Stomach removal
• Stress (continuing)
• Thalassemia
• Trauma (prolonged)

In addition, premature infants may need additional zinc.

Increased need for zinc should be determined by your health care professional.

Claims that zinc is effective in preventing vision loss in the elderlyhave not been proven. Zinc has not been proven effective in the treatmentof porphyria.

Injectable zinc is given by or under the supervision of a health care professional.Other forms of zinc are available without a prescription.

Zinc supplements are available in the following dosage forms:

Oral
• Zinc Gluconate
  • Lozenges (U.S.)
  • Tablets (U.S. and Canada)
• Zinc Sulfate
  • Capsules (U.S.)
  • Tablets (U.S. and Canada)
  • Extended-release tablets (U.S.)

Parenteral
• Zinc Chloride
  • Injection (U.S.)
• Zinc Sulfate
  • Injection (U.S.)

Importance of Diet

Zinc is found in various foods, including lean red meats, seafood (especiallyherring and oysters), peas, and beans. Zinc is also found in whole grains;however, large amounts of whole-grains have been found to decrease the amountof zinc that is absorbed. Additional zinc may be added to the diet throughtreated (galvanized) cookware. Foods stored in uncoated tin cans may causeless zinc to be available for absorption from food.

The daily amount of zinc needed is defined in several different ways.

For U.S.?
• Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) are the amount of vitaminsand minerals needed to provide for adequate nutrition in most healthy persons.RDAs for a given nutrient may vary depending on a person's age, sex, and physicalcondition (e.g., pregnancy).
• Daily Values (DVs) are used on food and dietary supplement labelsto indicate the percent of the recommended daily amount of each nutrient thata serving provides. DV replaces the previous designation of United StatesRecommended Daily Allowances (USRDAs).

For Canada?
• Recommended Nutrient Intakes (RNIs) are used to determine the amountsof vitamins, minerals, and protein needed to provide adequate nutrition andlessen the risk of chronic disease.

Normal daily recommended intakes in milligrams (mg) for zinc are generallydefined as follows:

Persons	U.S. (mg)	Canada (mg)
Infants and children Birth to 3 years of age	5-10	2-4
4 to 6 years of age	10	5
7 to 10 years of age	10	7-9
Adolescent and adult males	15	9-12
Adolescentand adult females	12	9
Pregnant females	15	15
Breast-feeding females	16-19	15

Before Using This Dietary Supplement

If you are taking this dietary supplement without a prescription, carefullyread and follow any precautions on the label. For zinc supplements, the followingshould be considered:

Allergies?Tell your health care professional if you are allergicto any substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy?It is especially important that you are receivingenough vitamins and minerals when you become pregnant and that you continueto receive the right amount of vitamins and minerals throughout your pregnancy.The healthy growth and development of the fetus depend on a steady supplyof nutrients from the mother. There is evidence that low blood levels of zincmay lead to problems in pregnancy or defects in the baby. However, takinglarge amounts of a dietary supplement in pregnancy may be harmful to the motherand/or fetus and should be avoided.

Breast-feeding?It is important that you receive the right amountsof vitamins and minerals so that your baby will also get the vitamins andminerals needed to grow properly. However, taking large amounts of a dietarysupplement while breast-feeding may be harmful to the mother and/or baby andshould be avoided.

Children?Problems in children have not been reported withintake of normal daily recommended amounts.

Older adults?Problems in older adults have not been reported withintake of normal daily recommended amounts. There is some evidence that theelderly may be at risk of becoming deficient in zinc due to poor food selection,decreased absorption of zinc by the body, or medicines that decrease absorptionof zinc or increase loss of zinc from the body.

Medicines or other dietary supplements?Although certain medicines or dietary supplements should not be used togetherat all, in other cases they may be used together even if an interaction mightoccur. In these cases, your health care professional may want to change thedose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking zinc supplements,it is especially important that your health care professional know if youare taking any of the following:

• Copper supplements or
• Tetracycline (medicine for infection)?Use with zinc supplementsmay cause these copper supplements or tetracycline to be less effective; zincsupplements should be given at least 2 hours after copper supplements, ortetracycline

Other medical problems?The presence of other medicalproblems may affect the use of zinc supplements. Make sure you tell your healthcare professional if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Copper deficiency?Zinc supplements may make this conditionworse

Proper Use of This Dietary Supplement

Dosing?The amount of zinc needed to meet normal dailyrecommended intakes will be different for different individuals. The followinginformation includes only the average amounts of zinc.

• For oral dosage form (capsules, lozenges,tablets, extended-release tablets):
  • To prevent deficiency, the amount taken by mouth is based on normaldaily recommended intakes (Note that the normal daily recommended intakesare expressed as an actual amount of zinc. The dosage form [e.g., zinc gluconate,zinc sulfate] has a different strength):
    For the U.S.
    • Adult and teenage males?15 milligrams (mg) per day.
    • Adult and teenage females?12 mg per day.
    • Pregnant females?15 mg per day.
    • Breast-feeding females?16 to 19 mg per day.
    • Children 4 to 10 years of age?10 mg per day.
    • Children birth to 3 years of age?5 to 10 mg per day.
    For Canada
    • Adult and teenage males?9 to 12 mg per day.
    • Adult and teenage females?9 mg per day.
    • Pregnant females?15 mg per day.
    • Breast-feeding females?15 mg per day.
    • Children 7 to 10 years of age?7 to 9 mg per day.
    • Children 4 to 6 years of age?5 mg per day.
    • Children birth to 3 years of age?2 to 4 mg per day.
  • To treat deficiency:
    • Adults, teenagers, and children?Treatment dose is determinedby prescriber for each individual based on severity of deficiency.

Zinc supplements are most effective if they are taken at least 1 hour beforeor 2 hours after meals. However, if zinc supplements cause stomach upset,they may be taken with a meal. You should tell your health care professionalif you are taking your zinc supplement with meals.

Missed dose?If you miss taking zinc supplements for one ormore days there is no cause for concern, since it takes some time for yourbody to become seriously low in zinc. However, if your health care professionalhas recommended that you take zinc, try to remember to take it as directedevery day.

Storage?To store this dietary supplement:

• Keep out of the reach of children.
• Store away from heat and direct light.
• Do not store in the bathroom, near the kitchen sink, or in otherdamp places. Heat or moisture may cause the dietary supplement to break down.
• Keep the dietary supplement from freezing. Do not refrigerate.
• Do not keep outdated dietary supplements or those no longer needed.Be sure that any discarded dietary supplement is out of the reach of children.

Precautions While Using This Dietary Supplement

When zinc combines with certain foods it may not be absorbed into yourbody and it will do you no good. If you are taking zinc, the following foodsshould be avoided or taken 2 hours after you take zinc:

• Bran
• Fiber-containing foods
• Phosphorus-containing foods such as milk or poultry
• Whole-grain breads and cereals

Do not take zinc supplements and copper, iron, or phosphorus supplementsat the same time. It is best to space doses of these products 2 hours apart,to get the full benefit from each dietary supplement.

Side Effects of This Dietary Supplement

Along with its needed effects, a dietary supplement may cause some unwantedeffects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occurthey may need medical attention.

Check with your health care professional as soon as possible if any ofthe following side effects occur:

Rare?With large doses

Chills; continuing ulcers or sores in mouth or throat; fever; heartburn; indigestion; nausea; sore throat; unusual tiredness or weakness

Symptoms of overdose

Other side effects not listed above may also occur insome individuals. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

Additional Information

Once a medicine or dietary supplementhas been approved for marketing for a certain use, experience may show thatit is also useful for other medical problems. Although this use is not includedin product labeling, zinc supplements are used in certain patients with thefollowing medical condition:

• Wilson's disease (a disease of too much copper in the body)

Other than the above information, there is no additional information relatingto proper use, precautions, or side effects for this use.