Supplement·Interactions·Reviewed June 9, 2026
Zinc interactions.
Zinc has 71 documented interactions in the NutriStack database: 2 to avoid or watch closely, 44 that need timing or caution, and 25 that work synergistically. The full list, with what each pairing does, is below.
In short
Zinc at a glance.
A quick, data-grounded summary. The full table is below.
Zinc has 71 documented interactions in the NutriStack database: 2 to avoid or watch closely, 44 that need timing or caution, and 25 that work synergistically. The full list, with what each pairing does, is below.
Interactions
Everything that interacts with zinc.
Every supplement and medication in the NutriStack database with a documented interaction with this substance, highest-severity first. Open any pair for the mechanism and sources.
| Substance | Interaction | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Iron | Conflict | Iron and zinc compete for the same absorption pathways when taken together in supplement form. details → |
| Iron Bisglycinate | Conflict | Iron Bisglycinate and zinc compete for the same absorption pathways when taken together in supplement form. details → |
| Captopril | Caution | The sulfhydryl group of captopril chelates zinc and increases urinary zinc excretion, and long-term ACE inhibitor therapy has been associated with... |
| Copper | Caution | Chronic high-dose zinc supplementation (>40mg/day) can induce copper deficiency by upregulating metallothionein, which binds copper in enterocytes. details → |
| Enalapril | Caution | Enalapril increases urinary zinc excretion and lowers intracellular zinc in monocytes over months of use. In a 6-month controlled study of... details → |
| Esomeprazole | Caution | Chronic esomeprazole therapy reduces zinc absorption and lowers body zinc stores. In a controlled study, plasma zinc rose 126% with supplementation... details → |
| Lansoprazole | Caution | Long-term lansoprazole therapy reduces zinc absorption and lowers body zinc stores. Controlled data on PPI users showed plasma zinc rose only 37%... details → |
| Lisinopril | Caution | ACE inhibitors as a class increase urinary zinc excretion and lower intracellular zinc over months of use. A systematic review of zinc and... details → |
| Lithium | Caution | Zinc and lithium have minor interactions related to shared transport mechanisms and effects on thyroid function. While the interaction is not... |
| Losartan | Caution | A systematic review of antihypertensive therapy and zinc identified increased urinary zinc loss in losartan-treated patients. The effect is smaller... |
| Methylfolate | Caution | High-dose zinc (>40mg) may impair folate absorption by inhibiting the folate conjugase enzyme in the gut. |
| Omeprazole | Caution | Long-term omeprazole therapy reduces zinc absorption and lowers body zinc stores. In one controlled study, plasma zinc rose 126% with... details → |
| Pantoprazole | Caution | Long-term pantoprazole reduces zinc absorption and lowers body zinc stores, mirroring the class effect documented for other PPIs. In controlled... details → |
| Valganciclovir | Caution | Valganciclovir frequently causes neutropenia and other cytopenias. High-dose or prolonged zinc supplementation can induce copper deficiency, which... |
| Valsartan | Caution | A systematic review of zinc and antihypertensive therapy reported that valsartan reduced erythrocyte and plasma zinc concentrations in treated... |
| Vitamin B9 | Caution | High-dose zinc (>40mg) may impair folate absorption by inhibiting the folate conjugase enzyme in the gut. |
| Activated Charcoal | Timing Sensitive | Activated charcoal can adsorb zinc and other minerals in the gastrointestinal tract, reducing zinc absorption when the two are taken at the same time. |
| Alendronate | Timing Sensitive | Zinc is a divalent cation that chelates alendronate in the gut, similar to the well-known calcium, iron, and magnesium interactions. Because... details → |
| Ampicillin | Timing Sensitive | Although chelation interactions with penicillins are far less pronounced than with tetracyclines or fluoroquinolones, divalent cations such as zinc... |
| Calcium | Timing Sensitive | High-dose calcium can reduce zinc absorption when taken simultaneously. |
| Calcium Alpha-Ketoglutarate | Timing Sensitive | High doses of calcium can modestly reduce zinc absorption, so taking the calcium from Ca-AKG together with a zinc supplement may slightly lower zinc... |
| Calcium Carbonate | Timing Sensitive | Calcium carbonate can reduce zinc absorption when taken with the same meal or supplement dose. In a human absorption study, 600 mg of calcium as... details → |
| Cefdinir | Timing Sensitive | Zinc supplements supply divalent zinc cations that can chelate cefdinir in the gastrointestinal tract by the same mechanism that drives the iron and... |
| Cefpodoxime | Timing Sensitive | Oral zinc supplements may reduce cefpodoxime absorption through formation of poorly absorbed metal-drug complexes in the gut. As with other divalent... |
| Cefuroxime | Timing Sensitive | Oral zinc, a divalent cation, can chelate cephalosporins and reduce their gastrointestinal absorption. Although best characterized for quinolone and... |
| Ciprofloxacin | Timing Sensitive | Zinc chelates ciprofloxacin in the GI tract, reducing absorption and potentially causing treatment failure. Zinc-containing multivitamins have been... details → |
| Deglycyrrhizinated Licorice (DGL) | Timing Sensitive | DGL may reduce immediate absorption of zinc supplements if taken together. |
| Dicloxacillin | Timing Sensitive | Oral zinc can form poorly absorbed complexes with beta-lactam antibiotics. Although best characterized for the antipseudomonal penicillins and for... |
| Doxycycline | Timing Sensitive | Zinc chelates doxycycline, reducing its absorption. While the effect is somewhat less pronounced than with calcium or iron, it is still clinically... details → |
| Fosfomycin | Timing Sensitive | Zinc is a divalent cation that, like other metal cations, can chelate fosfomycin in the gut and reduce its absorption. This may lower the urinary... |
| GHK-Cu (Copper Peptide) | Timing Sensitive | High-dose zinc can lower copper status; systemic copper peptide use can make copper-zinc interpretation harder. |
| Ibandronate | Timing Sensitive | Zinc may bind oral ibandronate and reduce absorption if taken too close. |
| Levofloxacin | Timing Sensitive | Zinc supplements bind levofloxacin in the gut and reduce its absorption by approximately 20 to 50 percent. Reduced antibiotic exposure can cause... details → |
| Levothyroxine | Timing Sensitive | Zinc supplements may reduce levothyroxine absorption through chelation in the gastrointestinal tract. While the evidence is less robust than for... |
| Magnesium Glycinate | Timing Sensitive | High-dose zinc and high-dose magnesium can compete at intestinal divalent cation transporters; effect is significant only at supplemental doses... |
| Manganese | Timing Sensitive | Zinc and manganese compete for shared intestinal absorption pathways, so taking high doses together can modestly reduce the absorption of one or... |
| Marshmallow Root | Timing Sensitive | Mucilage may delay or reduce zinc supplement absorption. |
| Minocycline | Timing Sensitive | Zinc can reduce oral Minocycline absorption when taken together. |
| Moxifloxacin | Timing Sensitive | Zinc can reduce oral Moxifloxacin absorption when taken together. |
| Penicillin V Potassium | Timing Sensitive | Divalent mineral cations such as zinc can form complexes with certain antibiotics. While the chelation interaction is far stronger and well... |
| Psyllium Husk | Timing Sensitive | Psyllium gel can bind zinc in the intestinal lumen, reducing the fraction of zinc absorbed when the two are taken at the same time. details → |
| Risedronate | Timing Sensitive | Zinc, like calcium, iron, and magnesium, is a divalent cation that can complex with risedronate in the gut and reduce its absorption. Risedronate's... details → |
| Shilajit | Timing Sensitive | Taking a standalone zinc supplement at the exact same time as Shilajit can change zinc bioavailability because the fulvic and humic acids in... |
| Slippery Elm | Timing Sensitive | Mucilage may reduce immediate zinc absorption. |
| Sucralfate | Timing Sensitive | Sucralfate can physically bind oral minerals; zinc taken at the same time may have less predictable absorption. |
| Tetracycline | Timing Sensitive | Zinc can reduce oral Tetracycline absorption when taken together. |
| Acyclovir | Synergy | Topical zinc sulfate has shown benefit for recurrent herpes labialis in small placebo-controlled trials, and zinc has well-documented... |
| Andrographis | Synergy | Both are used for common cold support and may target different immune pathways. |
| Bifidobacterium longum BB536 | Synergy | Zinc and probiotics may both support mucosal immune function, though direct BB536-zinc trial data are limited. |
| Carnosine | Synergy | Carnosine and zinc form the chelate zinc-L-carnosine (polaprezinc), a well-studied gastric mucosal protectant used for ulcer healing and gut lining... |
| Collagen Peptides | Synergy | Zinc is essential for collagen synthesis enzymes and wound healing. Supports collagen crosslinking and skin repair. details → |
| Combined Oral Contraceptive | Synergy | Multiple observational studies show that combined oral contraceptive users have lower serum zinc compared with non-users. The clinical impact is... details → |
| D-Aspartic Acid | Synergy | Both are studied in the context of supporting testosterone and male reproductive function, and may have complementary roles in men who are deficient. |
| Echinacea | Synergy | Echinacea and zinc are frequently paired for cold and upper respiratory support, with zinc lozenges showing evidence for shortening cold duration. |
| Elderberry | Synergy | Both target early-phase viral upper respiratory illness through distinct antiviral and immune-modulating mechanisms, supporting an additive... |
| Gymnema Sylvestre | Synergy | Zinc adequacy supports insulin storage and metabolic health, but direct Gymnema-zinc outcome data are limited. |
| Iodine | Synergy | Adequate zinc is needed for thyroid hormone synthesis and signaling, so zinc supports the thyroid effects of iodine. |
| Oseltamivir | Synergy | Zinc supports antiviral immune function and meta-analyses show modest reductions in common cold duration with zinc lozenges. While direct trials of... |
| Prednisone | Synergy | Prednisone causes zinc depletion through increased urinary zinc excretion, mediated by HPA axis disruption. Chronic corticosteroid use at doses... details → |
| Pygeum Africanum | Synergy | Zinc is often included in prostate formulas, but direct clinical synergy with pygeum is not established. |
| Quercetin | Synergy | Quercetin has shown zinc-ionophore activity in cell models, but clinical immune benefit from combining quercetin with zinc is not established. |
| Saw Palmetto | Synergy | Saw palmetto and zinc are a classic prostate-support pairing that target the same hormonal pathway, giving additive support within benign prostatic... |
| Selenium | Synergy | Both support immune function and antioxidant defense. Zinc supports SOD and thymulin; selenium supports GPx and selenoproteins. |
| Stinging Nettle Root | Synergy | Zinc is often used in prostate formulas, though direct synergy with nettle root is not well proven. |
| Testosterone | Synergy | Zinc is essential for testosterone synthesis and metabolism. It inhibits aromatase (preventing testosterone-to-estrogen conversion) and modulates... details → |
| Thymalin | Synergy | Zinc deficiency impairs immune function but high-dose zinc can create copper deficiency. |
| Thymosin Alpha-1 | Synergy | Zinc deficiency can impair immune function, but high-dose zinc can cause copper deficiency. |
| Tribulus Terrestris | Synergy | Zinc is an essential cofactor for testosterone synthesis, so correcting low zinc status complements the libido-supporting use of Tribulus in male... |
| Trimethylglycine | Synergy | Zinc is the catalytic metal cofactor for betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase (BHMT), the enzyme through which TMG donates its methyl group to... |
| Vitamin A | Synergy | Zinc is required for retinol-binding protein synthesis and vitamin A transport from the liver. Zinc deficiency impairs vitamin A mobilization. details → |
| Vitamin D3 | Synergy | Adequate zinc status supports normal zinc-finger transcription biology, including vitamin D receptor DNA-binding domains. Evidence does not show... |
Go deeper
The full zinc profile.
Benefits, dosing by goal, forms, and the cited evidence for this supplement.
FAQ
Common zinc questions.
Quick answers drawn from the table above.
What interacts with Zinc?
In the NutriStack database, Zinc has 71 documented interactions with other supplements and medications. The most notable include Iron, Iron Bisglycinate, Captopril, Copper, and Enalapril.
What should you not take with Zinc?
Zinc is flagged against 2 substances in the database, including Iron and Iron Bisglycinate. Review these with a clinician before combining, especially alongside prescription medications.
What works well with Zinc?
Zinc pairs synergistically with Acyclovir, Andrographis, Bifidobacterium longum BB536, Carnosine, and Collagen Peptides in the NutriStack database. Synergy still depends on dose and timing; open any pair for the detail.
Can you take Zinc with Iron?
NutriStack classifies the Zinc and Iron pairing as conflict: Iron and zinc compete for the same absorption pathways when taken together in supplement form. Take iron and zinc at different times of day, separated by at least 2 hours.
Check your whole stack
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