Vitamin A and Zinc: what the published research says
PubMed indexes 8 records that name Vitamin A and Zinc together, either in the title or in an interaction, co-administration, or pharmacokinetic context. Each one is listed below with its study design and, where the abstract states one, the authors’ own conclusion, quoted and linked. This page reports that literature. It does not tell you whether to combine them.
Every statement below is attributed to a named, dated, linked source.
This page lists published research relevant to Vitamin A and Zinc. It deliberately does not state whether the combination is safe, whether it interacts, in which direction, at what dose, or how far apart to take them.
A study appearing here is not proof that an interaction exists. Two substances can be named together in a paper that never tested them in combination, and a source listed as background may cover only one of them.
Findings are quoted from each abstract as the authors wrote them. NutriStack has not re-analysed, pooled, or reconciled them, and they may disagree with each other.
NutriStack’s own interaction assessment for this pair is not published here. It has not completed qualified-human clinical review, so it is withheld from search. See the publication gate.
Nothing here is medical advice. Decisions about prescription medication and supplements belong with your prescriber or pharmacist, who can see your full regimen.
The research
8 studies naming Vitamin A and Zinc.
Strongest relevance first: papers naming both substances in the title, then human trials and systematic reviews.
Biological trace element research · 2021 · PMID 33409923
Randomized Controlled Trial
“In the placebo group, serum TAC was decreased and hs-CRP increased (P < 0.05), with no significant changes in serum TSH, FT3, TT4, and MDA after the intervention. Zinc, vitamin A, and magnesium supplementation may have beneficial effects in patients with hypothyroidism and in diseases associated with hyperthyroidism.”
“Persons older than 55 years should have dilated eye examinations to determine their risk of developing advanced AMD. Those with extensive intermediate size drusen, at least 1 large druse, noncentral geographic atrophy in 1 or both eyes, or advanced AMD or vision loss due to AMD in 1 eye, and without contraindications such as smoking, should consider taking a supplement of antioxidants plus zinc such as that used in this study.”
“The results suggest that the preschool children in this study, prescreened for low/marginal serum concentrations from a larger population prior to treatment, were enduring inadequate vitamin A and, to a lesser degree, Zn nutriture. Height and weight gain were significantly increased in the subjects who received a single weekly supplement 3030 RE of vitamin A.”
“Dietary vitamin A and zinc concentrations impacted circulating retinol and zinc concentrations. These findings suggest a trade-off between increased carcass merit and reduced feed efficiency with the removal of vitamin A supplementation, but also indicate there are micronutrient interactions between vitamin A, zinc, copper, iron, and manganese that require further research in beef cattle.”
The American journal of clinical nutrition · 1998 · PMID 9701158
ReviewHuman subjects
“In conclusion, clear evidence of synergy between these 2 micronutrients and its public health significance in humans is lacking. Research should focus on understanding this interaction in the context of coexisting moderate-to-severe zinc and vitamin A deficiencies in the population.”
Indian journal of pediatrics · 1996 · PMID 10832460
ReviewHuman subjects
“Dietary supplementation or therapeutic treatment with vitamin A and zinc may be a cheap yet effective means of preventing or treating infections in highly susceptible populations. Additional studies, however, are required to better define the types of pathogens and the specific human populations that may benefit from such therapy.”
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences · 1980 · PMID 6786155
ReviewHuman subjects
“Conversely, zinc supplementation is of little benefit in conditions where vitamin A metabolism is altered but zinc status is normal. Therefore, definitive clinical studies involving primary zinc deficiency must be conducted before final conclusions can be made regarding the interrelationships of zinc and vitamin A in health and disease.”
The American journal of clinical nutrition · 1980 · PMID 7001892
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.ReviewHuman subjects
“Combined vitamin A and zinc deficiencies are common in cirrhotics and either may result in abnormal dark adaptation or impaired taste and smell. The interaction of these two micro-nutrients must be kept in mind by the clinician caring for alcoholic or alcoholic cirrhotic patients.”
Names both Vitamin A and Zinc in its title.
Limitations
What this evidence cannot tell you.
Search-based evidence indexes have real limits, and it is worth being explicit about them:
Selection. These records were found by searching PubMed titles and abstracts for both substance names alongside interaction and pharmacokinetic terms. Relevant work that phrases things differently, or is not indexed in PubMed, will be missing.
No effect size. The quoted conclusions are the authors’ words about their own study. We have not extracted effect direction or magnitude, and a single study’s conclusion is not a consensus.
Population mismatch. Findings in healthy volunteers, animals, or a specific patient group may not transfer to you, your dose, or your formulation.
Absence is not safety. Few published studies means the combination is under-studied, which is not the same as established as safe.
Nearby evidence
Other pairs with published research.
Pages covering Vitamin A or Zinc alongside a different substance.
NutriStack is a free iPhone app for organising a supplement routine: what you take, when, and what the published record says about it. Its exploratory interaction checker covers Vitamin A, Zinc, and several hundred other substances.
The checker is a research and organisation tool, not a clinical decision aid, and its per-pair assessments are excluded from search until they pass claim-level review.
NutriStack is an informational and organizational tool, not a medical service, and not a substitute for professional advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before starting, stopping, or changing any supplement or medication.
