What is the difference between Zinc Bisglycinate and Zinc Picolinate?

Both have high absorption and moderate cost. Choose zinc bisglycinate when zinc salts cause nausea; choose zinc picolinate when you prefer a chelate and accept a modest premium.

Form Comparison

Zinc Bisglycinate vs Zinc Picolinate

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

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Quick verdict. Both are chelates sold at a modest premium over gluconate, and neither has large comparative trials. Picolinate has one small 1987 study suggesting higher tissue zinc; bisglycinate has small studies showing comparable absorption with less phytate sensitivity and better empty-stomach tolerance. Choose bisglycinate if nausea is the problem; otherwise either works, and gluconate costs less than both.

Side by Side

	Zinc Bisglycinate	Zinc Picolinate
Elemental content	Varies by product	21% 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.	Zinc chelated to picolinic acid. One small 1987 trial found greater increases in hair, urine, and erythrocyte zinc than with citrate or gluconate; it has not been replicated at scale.
Typical dose	15-30 mg elemental zinc daily	15-30 mg elemental zinc daily
Common uses	general supplementation, GI sensitivity	general supplementation
Side effects	Often better tolerated on an empty stomach than salts.	Nausea on an empty stomach.
Cost	Moderate	Moderate
Also called	zinc glycinate, zinc bisglycinate chelate	None
Labels in index	199	220

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 Picolinate

Choose zinc picolinate when you prefer a chelate and accept a modest premium. Popular, but its advantage rests on limited data.

Zinc Picolinate

Popular on the strength of one 1987 study in 15 people. Probably fine; not proven better.

What to look for: The same elemental dose rules as any form. Do not pay a premium for the absorption claim.

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Products on Titrate

In Titrate's index of NIH label data, 199 labels named as zinc products list zinc bisglycinate and 220 list zinc picolinate.

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.