Expert Answer

How much zinc should you take per day?

Zinc dosage zinc immune
Based on expert consensus data from publicly available videos, not medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any supplement.

Quick Answer

15-30mg daily for maintenance. Huberman recommends 90-100mg during illness (short-term only, 1-2 weeks). Chronic doses above 40mg/day deplete copper. 40% of Americans are deficient (Hyman).

4.2/5

Strong Consensus

on Zinc overall

What Researchers Say

Andrew Huberman
Andrew Huberman Agrees

90-100mg daily with food for cold prevention (short-term only).

Mark Hyman
Mark Hyman Strongly Agrees

~40% of Americans are zinc deficient. Recommends zinc carnosine for gut healing.

Rhonda Patrick
Rhonda Patrick Agrees

Quercetin acts as a zinc ionophore. Warns excess zinc inhibits magnesium absorption.

Peter Attia
Peter Attia Agrees

Recommends optimizing zinc alongside magnesium and vitamin D before considering hormone therapy.

Detailed Answer

Zinc dosage depends on context. For daily maintenance: 15-30mg. For acute immune support during illness: Huberman recommends 90-100mg daily with food, limited to 1-2 weeks.

Critical safety: chronic high-dose zinc above 40mg/day depletes copper. Patrick warns excess zinc also inhibits magnesium absorption. Balance zinc and copper at a 10:1 to 15:1 ratio.

Best forms: picolinate or bisglycinate for general use, zinc carnosine for gut healing (Hyman's 5R protocol), and pair with quercetin for enhanced intracellular delivery - Patrick explains quercetin acts as a zinc ionophore.

Related Questions

Can zinc help with colds?

Meta-analyses show zinc reduces cold duration when taken within 24 hours of symptoms. Huberman recommends 90-100mg daily with food.

Does zinc boost testosterone?

Zinc is essential for testosterone production. Attia recommends optimizing zinc, magnesium, and vitamin D before considering hormone therapy.

More Questions About Zinc

Can you take zinc and magnesium together?

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