What is the difference between Zinc Bisglycinate and Zinc Gluconate?

Zinc bisglycinate has high absorption and moderate cost; zinc gluconate has high absorption and low cost. Choose zinc bisglycinate when zinc salts cause nausea; choose zinc gluconate when you want a well-studied, cheap, well-absorbed salt.

Form Comparison

Zinc Bisglycinate vs Zinc Gluconate

How zinc bisglycinate and zinc gluconate differ in elemental content, absorption, tolerance, and cost.

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Quick verdict. Absorption is comparable, and both work at 15-30 mg elemental zinc. The practical difference is tolerance: bisglycinate is more often tolerated on an empty stomach, where gluconate tends to cause nausea, and it is less sensitive to phytate. Choose gluconate for cost and cold lozenges, bisglycinate if zinc salts make you queasy.

Side by Side

	Zinc Bisglycinate	Zinc Gluconate
Elemental content	Varies by product	14.3% elemental zinc
Absorption	High	High
How it is absorbed	Zinc chelated to glycine. Small human studies suggest absorption at least comparable to gluconate, with less sensitivity to phytate.	Soluble salt releasing ionic zinc, absorbed in the small intestine via ZIP4 transporters. Fractional absorption matched zinc citrate and exceeded oxide in Wegmuller 2014.
Typical dose	15-30 mg elemental zinc daily	15-30 mg elemental zinc daily
Common uses	general supplementation, GI sensitivity	general supplementation, cold lozenges
Side effects	Often better tolerated on an empty stomach than salts.	Nausea on an empty stomach.
Cost	Moderate	Low
Also called	zinc glycinate, zinc bisglycinate chelate	None
Labels in index	199	476

When to Choose Zinc Bisglycinate

Choose zinc bisglycinate when zinc salts cause nausea. Elemental content varies by manufacturer; use the panel value.

Zinc Bisglycinate

Choose zinc bisglycinate when zinc salts cause nausea.

What to look for: Zinc Bisglycinate named on the Supplement Facts panel, with the amount per serving stated.

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When to Choose Zinc Gluconate

Choose zinc gluconate when you want a well-studied, cheap, well-absorbed salt. One of the two salts used in cold lozenge trials.

Zinc Gluconate

Choose zinc gluconate when you want a well-studied, cheap, well-absorbed salt.

What to look for: Zinc Gluconate named on the Supplement Facts panel, with the amount per serving stated.

Find on iHerb Affiliate link

Products on Titrate

In Titrate's index of NIH label data, 199 labels named as zinc products list zinc bisglycinate and 476 list zinc gluconate.

Open supplement search

Zinc does not have its own search category yet. Each product above links to its full label in the NIH database.

References

NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Zinc: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals.

Barrie SA, et al. Comparative absorption of zinc picolinate, zinc citrate and zinc gluconate in humans. Agents Actions. 1987;21(1-2):223-228.

Age-Related Eye Disease Study Research Group. A randomized, placebo-controlled, clinical trial of high-dose supplementation with vitamins C and E, beta carotene, and zinc for age-related macular degeneration and vision loss: AREDS report no. 8. Arch Ophthalmol. 2001;119(10):1417-1436.

Willis MS, et al. Zinc-induced copper deficiency: a report of three cases initially recognized on bone marrow examination. Am J Clin Pathol. 2005;123(1):125-131.

Nations SP, et al. Denture cream: an unusual source of excess zinc, leading to hypocupremia and neurologic disease. Neurology. 2008;71(9):639-643.

Wegmüller R, et al. Zinc absorption by young adults from supplemental zinc citrate is comparable with that from zinc gluconate and higher than from zinc oxide. J Nutr. 2014;144(2):132-136.

Hemilä H. Zinc lozenges and the common cold: a meta-analysis comparing zinc acetate and zinc gluconate, and the role of zinc dosage. JRSM Open. 2017;8(5):2054270417694291.