Product Overview
NOW Foods Zinc Picolinate gives 50 mg of zinc, from 270 mg of zinc picolinate, in each vegetarian capsule — 455% of the Daily Value. There are 60 veg capsules to the bottle. It is made and quality tested by NOW Foods of Bloomingdale, Illinois, USA, and labelled vegetarian/vegan.
The figures are from the supplement facts panel in the product photo.
Read This First — a Short-Term Dose
The label itself says: “For adults only. This product is not intended for long term use; use only as directed. Do not use if pregnant or nursing.”
That is good advice. The adult upper limit for zinc is 40 mg a day from all sources, and one capsule is 50 mg before food is counted. Taken for months:
- High zinc blocks copper absorption. Copper deficiency causes anaemia and nerve problems that are easy to miss.
- High zinc intake has been linked with lower “good” HDL cholesterol.
- On an empty stomach, zinc often causes nausea.
Use it for a set period with a clear reason — ideally agreed with a doctor — rather than as an everyday supplement.
Key Benefits
- Immune function — zinc contributes to the normal function of the immune system.
- Skin, hair and nails — zinc is needed for normal skin and wound healing, and contributes to normal hair and nails.
- Taste and smell — a shortage of zinc dulls both.
- Fertility and hormones — zinc contributes to normal fertility and to normal testosterone levels.
- Enzymes — zinc is a co-factor for hundreds of enzymes involved in protein and carbohydrate metabolism, as the label notes.
Zinc in Bangladesh
Zinc shortfall is common in Bangladesh. Rice-based diets are low in well-absorbed zinc, and phytates in grains and pulses reduce how much is taken up. Meat, fish, eggs and milk are the best food sources. Vegetarians and older adults are the adults most likely to be short.
What the Listing Claims, and What Is Known
- Immunity and infections — zinc supports normal immune function. In people who are not short of zinc, a daily capsule has not been shown to stop infections. Zinc lozenges started early in a cold may shorten it slightly; that is a different product.
- Acne — some studies show a modest effect. Troublesome acne is worth a dermatologist.
- Hair fall — zinc helps only if you are short of it. Iron deficiency, thyroid problems and pattern hair loss are more common causes.
- Testosterone and hormones — zinc is needed for normal testosterone levels, but extra zinc does not raise testosterone in men who are not deficient.
- Memory and brain health — not established.
- The seller’s text also names another shop. We have left that out.
Why Picolinate?
Zinc picolinate is zinc bound to picolinic acid. A small study suggested it was absorbed better than zinc gluconate or citrate, but the evidence is limited. Any well-made zinc supplement taken with food works for most people.
Key Features
- 50 mg zinc (from 270 mg zinc picolinate) per capsule
- 60 veg capsules — one a day
- Vegetarian/vegan, non-GMO
- Not made with yeast, wheat, gluten, soy, milk, egg, fish, shellfish or tree nut ingredients, as stated on the label
Ingredients / Specifications
Per capsule (from the label photo): zinc (from 270 mg zinc picolinate) 50 mg — 455% of the Daily Value.
Other ingredients: rice flour, hypromellose (cellulose capsule), stearic acid (vegetable source).
How to Use
- The label directions: take 1 capsule daily with a meal.
- Use it for a limited period, not indefinitely, as the label advises.
- Keep it 2 hours apart from iron tablets and calcium supplements, which compete with zinc.
- With antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin or doxycycline, take the antibiotic at least 2 hours before or 4 to 6 hours after.
- Do not add another zinc product. Many multivitamins and hair, skin and nail supplements already contain zinc.
Who Is It Suitable For?
Adults with a reason for a short course of higher-dose zinc — for example a low level found by a doctor.
- Not in pregnancy or breastfeeding — the label says do not use.
- Not for children — the label says adults only. Zinc for children, including zinc given with ORS for diarrhoea, uses a smaller dose set by age.
- Taking medication or with a medical condition — the label says to consult a physician.
Why Choose NOW Foods Zinc Picolinate?
A clean, vegetarian zinc capsule from an established US maker, with an honest label that says plainly it is not for long-term use. For an everyday long-term supplement, a lower dose of 15-25 mg is the better choice.
This Is a Supplement, Not a Medicine
A dietary supplement is a food product. It is not a medicine, it has not been through the testing a medicine goes through, and it does not diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Supplement labels use health language — “supports”, “helps maintain”, “promotes” — precisely because they are not permitted to claim treatment. Read them that way. If a listing anywhere promises that a capsule will fix a medical condition, that promise is not one the product can keep.
What a supplement can honestly do is fill a gap in your diet. That is worth something, and it is a smaller thing than most packaging implies.
Talk to a Doctor First
Speak to a doctor or pharmacist before you start, particularly if you:
- take any prescribed medicine — supplements interfere with medicines more often than people expect
- are being treated for a heart, liver, kidney, thyroid or blood condition
- have diabetes
- are pregnant, trying to conceive, or breastfeeding
- have surgery or a dental procedure coming up
Never stop or reduce a prescribed medicine in order to take a supplement instead. That is the single most dangerous thing anyone does with a product like this, and it is what the marketing language quietly invites.
About the Imported Pack
This is an imported product. The label, the dose instructions and the ingredient panel are the ones printed for the market it was made for, and the wording may differ from a locally packaged version.
Follow the dose printed on the pack itself — it is the authority on its own contents — and check the expiry date when it arrives. If anything on the label is unclear, message us before you take it and we will read it to you.
Storage
- Keep the container tightly closed, somewhere cool and dry, out of direct sunlight.
- Do not store it in a bathroom. Heat and humidity break supplements down faster than anything else, and a Dhaka bathroom is the worst place in the house for them.
- Leave the desiccant sachet in the bottle. It is there to keep moisture out, not by mistake.
- Softgels and fish oils are best kept in a fridge in hot weather — they go rancid otherwise.
- Keep it out of reach of children.
- Do not use it after the expiry date, and throw it away if the capsules smell strongly off, have stuck together or changed colour.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can I take it?
The label says it is not for long-term use. Agree a period with your doctor — a few weeks to a couple of months is typical for a correcting dose.
Will it stop me catching colds?
Not if your zinc level is already normal. Zinc supports normal immune function; it does not make you resistant to infections.
Why does zinc make me feel sick?
Zinc irritates an empty stomach. Take it with a meal.
What if I miss a day?
Take the next dose as normal. Do not take two to catch up.
How do I check the pack is in date?
The expiry date is printed on the bottle or the base of the box. Check it as soon as your order arrives. If it is unreadable or close to expiry, message us and we will replace it.
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.