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Zinc and iron: can you take them together?
Short answer: Keep them apart where you can, as a precaution (graded weak). Iron reduced zinc absorption in solution, but not clearly when taken with meals.
TakeItWhen grade: weak
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Common questions
Is it dangerous to take zinc and iron together?
It is not dangerous for most people; the concern is lower absorption, and the evidence for that in meals is unclear.
What about zinc on an empty stomach?
Some people get stomach upset; taking it with food is a common fix. That advice has not been tested in trials.
Sources
- Whittaker 1998, Am J Clin Nutr (review)
How we grade: strong consistent human trials, moderate some human trials, weak limited or indirect evidence, myth evidence says no. This is general information, not medical advice. If you take a prescription medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
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