Nutrient depletion·Zinc·Reviewed June 9, 2026
What depletes zinc?
18 medications in the NutriStack database are documented to lower Zinc with ongoing use. The pattern spans 10 drug classes. Another 3 bind zinc in the gut when taken at the same time, which is a timing problem rather than true depletion. Depletion builds slowly and is easy to miss; the table below shows how each medication drives it and which biomarker to check. Never start a replacement supplement without your prescriber's input.
Zinc depletion at a glance.
A quick, data-grounded summary. The per-medication table is below.
18 medications in the NutriStack database are documented to lower Zinc with ongoing use. The pattern spans 10 drug classes. Another 3 bind zinc in the gut when taken at the same time, which is a timing problem rather than true depletion. Depletion builds slowly and is easy to miss; the table below shows how each medication drives it and which biomarker to check. Never start a replacement supplement without your prescriber's input.
What is documented to lower zinc.
Worst documented severity first. Open any medication for its full interaction and depletion guide. Absence from this table means no documented record, not proven safety.
| Medication | Severity | How it lowers zinc | Monitor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Captopril ACE Inhibitor | Moderate | Captopril contains a sulfhydryl (thiol) group that chelates zinc, forming a captopril-zinc complex that increases urinary zinc excretion. Chronic... | Serum or plasma zinc |
| Benazepril ACE Inhibitor | Mild | ACE inhibition has been associated with increased urinary zinc excretion and altered taste in some long-term users. | Serum zinc |
| Chlorthalidone Thiazide-Like Diuretic | Mild | Chronic thiazide use can increase urinary zinc excretion and gradually lower zinc balance. | Serum zinc |
| Combined Oral Contraceptive Hormonal Contraceptive | Mild | Estrogen-containing contraceptives can modestly lower zinc status, likely through altered hepatic protein synthesis and increased losses. | Serum zinc |
| Enalapril ACE Inhibitor | Mild | ACE inhibition has been associated with increased urinary zinc excretion and altered taste in some long-term users. | Serum zinc |
| Furosemide Loop Diuretic | Mild | Chronic loop diuretic use can increase urinary zinc excretion and lower zinc balance over time. | Serum zinc |
| Hydrochlorothiazide Thiazide Diuretic | Mild | Chronic thiazide use can increase urinary zinc excretion and gradually lower zinc balance. | Serum zinc |
| Irbesartan Angiotensin II Receptor Blocker (ARB) | Mild | ARB therapy can modestly increase urinary zinc losses in some users, though typically less than ACE inhibitors. | Serum zinc |
| Lisinopril ACE Inhibitor | Mild | ACE inhibition has been associated with increased urinary zinc excretion and altered taste in some long-term users. | Serum zinc |
| Losartan Angiotensin II Receptor Blocker (ARB) | Mild | ARB therapy can modestly increase urinary zinc losses in some users, though typically less than ACE inhibitors. | Serum zinc |
| Losartan/Hydrochlorothiazide Angiotensin II receptor blocker plus thiazide diuretic (fixed-dose combination) | Mild | Thiazide diuretics increase urinary zinc excretion through enhanced distal tubular fluid flow and reduced zinc reabsorption, which can lower body... | Plasma zinc |
| Olmesartan Angiotensin II Receptor Blocker (ARB) | Mild | ARB therapy can modestly increase urinary zinc losses in some users, though typically less than ACE inhibitors. | Serum zinc |
| Perindopril ACE Inhibitor | Mild | ACE inhibitors can increase urinary zinc excretion and chelate zinc, potentially lowering plasma and intracellular zinc concentrations over... | Serum or plasma zinc |
| Quinapril ACE inhibitor | Mild | ACE inhibitors, including quinapril, contain or form sulfhydryl-related chelating chemistry and increase urinary zinc excretion, which over time can... | Serum or plasma zinc |
| Ramipril ACE Inhibitor | Mild | ACE inhibition has been associated with increased urinary zinc excretion and altered taste in some long-term users. | Serum zinc |
| Sacubitril/Valsartan Angiotensin Receptor-Neprilysin Inhibitor (ARNI) | Mild | ARB therapy can modestly increase urinary zinc losses in some users, though typically less than ACE inhibitors. | Serum zinc |
| Tetracycline Tetracycline antibiotic | Mild | Zinc, a divalent cation, chelates with tetracycline to form complexes that are poorly absorbed, lowering bioavailability of both the antibiotic and... | Plasma or serum zinc |
| Valsartan Angiotensin II Receptor Blocker (ARB) | Mild | ARB therapy can modestly increase urinary zinc losses in some users, though typically less than ACE inhibitors. | Serum zinc |
Binds zinc, not depletion.
These medications form poorly absorbed complexes with zinc in the gut when doses overlap. That blunts absorption of the medication, the mineral, or both at that dose, but it does not drain the body's stores. The fix is separating doses by the window on each medication's page, not supplementing more.
| Medication | Severity | What happens when taken together | Monitor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Doxycycline Tetracycline Antibiotic | Mild | Tetracyclines chelate zinc in the gut, functionally reducing zinc availability when co-administered. | Serum zinc |
| Minocycline Tetracycline antibiotic | Mild | Zinc forms chelation complexes with tetracyclines including minocycline, reducing the absorption of both the antibiotic and supplemental zinc when... | Plasma or serum zinc (only with prolonged use or suspected deficiency) |
| Moxifloxacin Fluoroquinolone antibiotic | Mild | Zinc, a divalent cation, chelates moxifloxacin in the gastrointestinal tract, forming poorly soluble complexes. As with other multivalent minerals,... | Plasma zinc (routine monitoring not generally required) |
If you need to restore zinc.
Repletion is not automatic: dose, form, and timing depend on the medication involved, and some pairings need separation from the very drug causing the depletion. Confirm with your prescriber before adding zinc.
Common zinc depletion questions.
Quick answers drawn from the table above.
Which medications deplete zinc?
18 medications in the NutriStack database are documented to lower zinc, including Captopril, Benazepril, Chlorthalidone, Combined Oral Contraceptive, and Enalapril. Severity differs by drug; the full table with mechanisms and monitoring biomarkers is on this page.
How do I know if my zinc is low?
The biomarkers used to track zinc status in this context include Serum or plasma zinc, Serum zinc, and Plasma zinc. If you take one of the medications above long term, ask your prescriber whether checking is worthwhile; depletion develops gradually.
Should I take a zinc supplement with these medications?
Not automatically. Documented depletion makes repletion worth discussing, but the right answer depends on your labs, dose, and the specific drug, and some pairings need zinc doses separated from the medication itself. Bring it up with your prescriber or pharmacist.
Check your whole stack
See what your medications deplete.
NutriStack screens your full routine for interactions and depletions, and updates the moment you change it.