Jarrow Zinc Balance Review
#4 of 7 · Best after the course✓ Label verified · Supplement Facts read Oct 13, 2026Real retailer photo, cut out. Label unedited.
Buy it if you take zinc every day for the long run. 15 mg of zinc with 1 mg of copper in a 15:1 ratio answers the one real risk of long-term zinc: copper loss.
$9.99 · 100 capsules (Amazon US, Oct 13, 2026)$0.10 per capsule (15 mg zinc, 1 mg copper)
Why It Scores 8.5 — And The Label Line Behind Each Number
Form bioavailability
30% of scoreZinc L-methionine sulfate, a zinc bound to the amino acid methionine. The back label says it allows zinc absorption with phytate and fiber in vegetables. Maares & Haase 2020 describe phytate as the main dietary inhibitor of zinc absorption.
- Active form
- Zinc L-methionine sulfate, copper gluconate
- Other ingredients
- Microcrystalline cellulose, capsule (hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, water), magnesium stearate (vegetable source)
- Allergens
- No wheat, gluten, soybeans, dairy, egg, fish/shellfish, peanuts/tree nuts or sesame
Dose accuracy + cofactor compatibility
25% of score15 mg of zinc (136% of the Daily Value) with 1 mg of copper (111%). The label states the 15:1 ratio and that supplemental zinc depletes copper. Fosmire 1990 describes that effect. Directions: one capsule once a day or every other day, with a meal. Below the 30 mg study dose by design.
- Per serving
- 15 mg zinc (136% DV) and 1 mg copper (111% DV) per capsule
Third-party testing
20% of scoreJarrow states its own quality testing. We found no listing for this product with NSF (contents or Certified for Sport) on Oct 13, 2026. That puts it level with the other brand-tested zinc products here.
- Label directions
- 1 capsule once a day or every other day, with a meal
- Testing
- Brand quality testing; no NSF listing found (checked Oct 13, 2026)
Cost per active mg
15% of score$9.99 for 100 capsules on Oct 13, 2026: $0.10 per capsule with the copper included. Per milligram of zinc it sits in the middle of our zinc reviews.
- Bottle
- 100 capsules
- Price
- $9.99 for 100 capsules (Amazon US, Oct 13, 2026)
- Cost per capsule
- $0.10
Real-world response evidence
10% of scoreThe dose is a maintenance dose, so it will not repeat the 30 mg results on testosterone or acne on its own. Its case is long-term use, where copper balance is the documented risk.
Label verified. Every figure read from the Supplement Facts photo, Oct 13, 2026.
Marketing Claims Vs. Reality
Includes copper because supplemental zinc depletes copper.
The panel lists 1 mg of copper as gluconate next to 15 mg of zinc. Fosmire 1990 describes copper deficiency as the main consequence of high zinc intake over time.
Zinc L-methionine allows zinc absorption with phytate and fiber in vegetables.
Phytate is the main dietary inhibitor of zinc absorption (Maares & Haase 2020), and amino acid forms of zinc are less affected by it. The size of the advantage for this exact compound in people is not settled.
Supports the immune system.
Zinc is needed for normal immune function, and a supplement helps when intake is low. In people with adequate zinc status an added benefit is not established.
What Our Test Actually Found
The copper is the reason to buy it
High zinc intake over time blocks copper absorption, and copper deficiency shows up as anemia and low white blood cell counts (Fosmire 1990). Most zinc products ignore this. One milligram of copper per 15 mg of zinc is a common protective ratio, and here it is printed on the label.
A daily dose, by design
15 mg is 136% of the Daily Value. The label even allows one capsule every other day. That makes it a product for daily maintenance, including on top of a diet with meat or a multivitamin, without getting near the 40 mg upper limit.
Do not double it to chase 30 mg
Two capsules give 30 mg of zinc and 2 mg of copper. That is still within safe limits for adults, but if you want the 30 mg study dose for a few months, a single 30 mg capsule is simpler and you can add copper later.
Plain capsule, nine allergens excluded
The capsule is vegan and the label names wheat, gluten, soybeans, dairy, egg, fish and shellfish, peanuts and tree nuts, and sesame as absent. Other ingredients are cellulose, the capsule and magnesium stearate.
Full analysis: all pros & cons (8), buy if / skip if
- Copper in the same capsule, 15:1 ratio printed on the label
- 15 mg of zinc, a sensible daily dose
- 100 capsules for $9.99
- Vegan capsule, nine major allergens excluded
- Label allows daily or every-other-day use
- Below the 30 mg study dose
- No third-party certifier listing found
- Copper is unnecessary if your multivitamin already has it
- You take zinc daily for more than a few months
- You want copper covered without a second bottle
- You want a vegan capsule without the nine major allergens
- You want 30 mg in one capsule for a short course
- You already take a multivitamin with copper and want zinc alone
- You need a product on the NSF Certified for Sport list
15 mg of zinc with 1 mg of copper in a 15:1 ratio answers the one real risk of long-term zinc: copper loss. The form is zinc L-methionine, the dose is 136% of the Daily Value, and a bottle lasts over three months at $0.10 a capsule. It is not a 30 mg study-dose product, and we found no third-party certifier listing for it.
Zinc taken for months lowers copper, and almost no zinc supplement does anything about it. Jarrow Zinc Balance does: each capsule has 15 mg of zinc as zinc L-methionine sulfate and 1 mg of copper as gluconate, and the back label states the 15:1 ratio and the reason for it. At 15 mg it is a daily dose, not a short high-dose course. One bottle holds 100 capsules and cost $9.99 when we checked.
The zinc to take when you take zinc for good
Most zinc lists rank by form and dose and stop there. For anyone who takes zinc every day for longer than a few months, copper matters more than the last few percent of absorption, and this is the one product in our reviews that covers it in the same capsule. Take one with a meal. If you are running a 30 mg course for testosterone or acne, use a 30 mg product for that period and come back to this for maintenance.
If This Doesn’t Fit — Try These
01Thorne Zinc Picolinate
The default first-time acne pick.
03NOW Zinc Glycinate
If you want to run a real chelated zinc for acne without spending more than the topical retinoid costs, NOW Foods is the right starting point.
05Garden of Life Raw Zinc
If you're a whole-food buyer who won't take an isolated chelate, Garden of Life delivers the cleanest version of that philosophy at the right acne dose, and the co-formulated vitamin C is a genuinely sensible skin pairing.
Quick Answers
Why does a zinc supplement contain copper?
Because zinc taken for a long time lowers copper absorption. The label says so directly, and Fosmire 1990 describes copper deficiency as the main risk of high zinc intake. One milligram of copper per 15 mg of zinc keeps the two in balance.
Is 15 mg of zinc enough for men?
For daily maintenance, yes: the recommended intake for men is 11 mg a day. The testosterone study by Prasad 1996 used 30 mg in men who were low in zinc, which is a different goal.
Can I take Jarrow Zinc Balance with a multivitamin?
Yes, but add up the totals. Many multivitamins already contain zinc and copper. Stay under 40 mg of zinc and 10 mg of copper a day from all supplements.
Is it vegan?
Yes. The front label says vegan and the capsule is made from hydroxypropylmethylcellulose.
Sources & Further Reading
3 peer-reviewed sources, each linked to PubMed
- [1] Fosmire 1990 PMID 2407097 — Zinc toxicity. Review of zinc toxicity: high zinc intake over time induces copper deficiency, with anemia and low white blood cell counts as the typical signs.
- [2] Maares & Haase 2020 PMID 32183116 — A guide to human zinc absorption: general overview and recent advances of in vitro intestinal models. Review of human zinc absorption: phytate from grains and legumes is the main dietary inhibitor; the form of zinc and the meal both matter.
- [3] Prasad 1996 PMID 8875519 — Zinc status and serum testosterone levels of healthy adults. Zinc at 30 mg a day for six months raised serum testosterone in marginally zinc-deficient older men. This product supplies half that dose per capsule.
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