Zinc is a trace mineral that is crucial to many metabolic functions in your body, including cell growth, immune response and neurological function. In a 2001 review of dietary reference intakes for various nutrients, the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine reported that zinc picolinate does not appear in appreciable amounts in nature, but you can often find it in zinc supplements. A lack of research into the various forms of zinc means that it is unclear if zinc picolinate is better for you than standard zinc, as of the publication of this article. Discuss supplements with your doctor before taking them.
Chemical Difference
Zinc picolinate is an acidic form of zinc. The chemical compound has a strong affinity for metal ions, meaning that it bonds readily to them. Like other derivative forms of zinc, such as zinc sulfate and zinc acetate, manufacturers promote zinc picolinate as a superior form of zinc because of its absorption properties. However, all forms of zinc serve the same biological purpose in your body.
Absorption Rate
Claims regarding zinc picolinate's superior absorption appear to center around a single study that appeared in the journal "Agents and Actions" in 1987. This study examined 15 human subjects in a double-blind, four-period crossover trial. The subjects consumed a supplement of placebo, zinc picolinate, zinc gluconate or zinc citrate equivalent to 50 mg of elemental zinc per day. At the end of four weeks, the researchers concluded from zinc level testing that zinc picolinate is more absorbable than elemental zinc.
Uses
Supplemental zinc, whether in the form of zinc picolinate or not, can be useful if your diet is lacking in the mineral. Zinc can help to bolster your immune system, which is crucial for wound healing, diarrhea prevention and shortening the duration of the common cold among other things. The American Cancer Society reports that a number of studies have shown tenuous links between adequate zinc intake and cancer treatment or prevention, particularly for cancers of the head and neck. However, this research is not conclusive and any beneficial or antioxidant effect of zinc for cancer is speculative.
Dietary Zinc
An adult male over the age of 19 only needs 11 mg of zinc per day, while a female of the same age needs 8 mg. Pregnant and breastfeeding women may need up to 12 mg per day. Foods like oysters and beef contain 50 percent or more of your daily zinc needs in a single serving, making it easy for most people to meet their daily zinc requirement without needing a supplement like zinc picolinate. Additionally, too much zinc in your diet can lead to a deficiency in copper and iron, or even zinc toxicity.
References
- "Agents and Actions"; Comparative Absorption of Zinc Picolinate, Zinc Citrate and Zinc Gluconate in Humans; S. A. Barrie et al.; June 1987
- American Cancer Society; Zinc; March 2011
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet--Zinc
- Linus Pauling Institute; Zinc; Jane Higdon, Ph.D.; December 2003
- "Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Arsenic, Boron, Chromium, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel, Silicon, Vanadium, and Zinc"; Food and Nutrition Board; 2001
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