How much zinc you need each day.

Quick answer. The NHS says the amount of zinc you need is about "9.5mg a day for men (aged 19 to 64 years)" and "7mg a day for women", and the UK Government Dietary Recommendations keep the same figures at 65 and over. Children need between 5mg and 9.5mg a day, depending on age and sex. For supplements, the NHS line is: "Do not take more than 25mg of zinc supplements a day unless advised to by a doctor."

How much zinc a day do adults need in the UK?

The NHS page on other vitamins and minerals says the amount of zinc you need is about:

• "9.5mg a day for men (aged 19 to 64 years)"
• "7mg a day for women"

Those figures come from the UK Government Dietary Recommendations, published by Public Health England in August 2016. Its mineral figures, in its own words, "were obtained from Dietary Reference Values for Food Energy and Nutrients for the United Kingdom (1991)." The amount does not drop with age. Men aged 65 to 74 and 75 and over keep the 9.5mg figure, and women keep 7.0mg.

How much zinc do children and teenagers need?

The same government tables set a figure for every age band. These are the daily amounts, in milligrams:

Boys and girls need the same amount until 14. From 15, the figures split and stay at the adult level for life. The document notes that its recommendations "relate to the general population", and that anyone with a medical condition looking for dietary advice should see their GP or a registered dietitian.

Is the zinc daily intake 7mg, 9.5mg or 10mg?

All three numbers are real. They answer different questions.

• 7mg and 9.5mg are the government's daily amounts for adult women and men. They are the figures to compare your diet with.
• 10mg is the nutrient reference value (NRV) for zinc, set in food labelling law. Every pack in the country uses it, so a label can say "38% NRV" on a common scale. It is a yardstick, not a personal target.

So 100% NRV on a label is a little more than the NHS figure for men and more than the NHS figure for women. Our guide to what NRV means explains the sum behind the percentage.

Can you get enough zinc from food?

For most people, yes. The NHS says: "You should be able to get all the zinc you need from your daily diet." Its listed sources are meat, shellfish, dairy foods such as cheese, bread and cereal products such as wheatgerm.

The UK government's food composition data, CoFID 2021, gives these amounts per 100g:

• Crab, white meat, cooked: 7.2mg.
• Pumpkin seeds: 6.6mg.
• Cashew nuts, plain: 5.9mg.
• Rump steak, grilled, lean: 5.6mg.
• English Cheddar: 4.1mg.
• Wholemeal bread: 1.6mg.

Our guide to zinc-rich foods has the full table, from oysters to kidney beans, and the easiest swaps.

How much zinc is too much?

The NHS guidance on taking too much is about supplements. It says: "Taking high doses of zinc reduces the amount of copper the body can absorb."

The Department of Health and Social Care advice on the same page is:

• "If you take zinc supplements, do not take too much as this could be harmful."
• "Do not take more than 25mg of zinc supplements a day unless advised to by a doctor."

The 25mg line is for zinc from supplements. It is not a target, and it is not the same as the daily amount you need.

How do you add up zinc from more than one product?

Zinc turns up in more places than a zinc tablet: multivitamins, powders, drinks and some combined products all list it. To check your total against the NHS line:

• Find the zinc line on each label. It is in the nutrition table, in milligrams, usually with a % NRV beside it.
• Check the serving. The amount is per daily serving as the pack describes it. If the serving is two tablets, the figure already covers both.
• Add the figures together. For example, 3.75mg from one product and 10mg from another is 13.75mg.
• Compare the total with 25mg. If it is over, or you are unsure, ask a pharmacist or your GP.

Our guide to reading a supplement label walks through the rest of the table.

What does zinc do?

Zinc holds these authorised health claims in Great Britain, in their set wording:

• Zinc contributes to the normal function of the immune system.
• Zinc contributes to normal cognitive function.
• Zinc contributes to the maintenance of normal hair, nails and skin.
• Zinc contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress.
• Zinc contributes to normal macronutrient metabolism.

Where Immufix fits.

Food comes first. Immufix is one scoop (25g) in around 200ml of water, once a day, and each scoop provides 3.75mg of zinc, 38% of the NRV. By our calculation that is just over half the NHS figure for women, around two fifths of the figure for men, and 15% of the NHS's 25mg line for supplements. Zinc contributes to the normal function of the immune system and to normal cognitive function. Every amount in the formula is on the science page.

The short version.

• The NHS says men need about 9.5mg of zinc a day and women about 7mg. The figures stay the same over 65.
• Children need 5mg to 9mg a day up to 14. From 15, boys need 9.5mg and girls 7mg.
• Labels use a separate yardstick, the NRV of 10mg.
• Most people can get all the zinc they need from a varied diet.
• Do not take more than 25mg of zinc from supplements a day unless a doctor advises it. Add up every product you take.

Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. If you have a medical condition, are pregnant, breastfeeding or taking medication, speak to your GP or pharmacist before taking any food supplement.