Zinc Oxide
Zinc oxide is a zinc compound used in the management of zinc deficiency; PockDose lists Zincoheal 50mg tablets, an oral mineral supplement, with delivery to Hong Kong.
Why people take zinc
Zinc is a mineral the body has to get from food, because it cannot make its own. It takes part in enzyme reactions, in immune function and in the repair of skin, which is why a shortfall can show up in more than one place. Slow wound healing, thinning hair, a dulled sense of taste or smell and picking up infections more often than usual are among the signs linked to low zinc. Zincoheal, the tablet on this page, is used in the management of zinc deficiency.
The same ingredient in creams and in tablets
Search for zinc oxide and two quite different products turn up. One is the white mineral in barrier creams and calamine lotion, spread on the skin for mild sunburn and other minor skin conditions; it stays on the surface, and very little passes into the body. The other is a swallowed tablet, where the zinc is absorbed through the gut and acts as a mineral supplement. The Zincoheal tablets sold here are the second kind, 50mg, filed in the skin care category.
Zinc oxide among the zinc salts
Zinc supplements are built on different salts — oxide, sulphate, gluconate, citrate — and each one carries a different share of elemental zinc, the part the body uses. So a 50mg zinc oxide tablet and 50mg of another salt do not deliver the same amount of elemental zinc. Zinc oxide is among the commonest forms used in tablets, and it carries a high share of elemental zinc for its weight.
Taking the tablets
Swallow a tablet whole with a glass of water. A meal makes it easier on the stomach, and nausea is the complaint people report most, so breakfast or dinner is a sensible moment to take it. Zinc is absorbed in the small intestine, and the body takes up more of it when stores are low, so the tablet works in the background rather than producing an effect you would feel straight away.
Side effects and interactions
Nausea, indigestion and a metallic taste are the reactions reported with oral zinc. The bigger concern sits further out: very large intakes kept up for months can pull copper levels down, because zinc and copper compete for the same absorption route in the gut. That makes copper supplements the pairing to watch. Quinolone and tetracycline antibiotics are the other group to keep in mind — zinc lowers how much of them is absorbed, so the two are taken a few hours apart.
Sources
- Zinc oxide (topical application route) - Side effects & dosage - Mayo Clinic — Mayo Clinic
- Calamine Lotion BP - Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) - (emc) — electronic medicines compendium (emc)
Is Zinc Oxide available to order in Hong Kong?
Zinc Oxide can be ordered online with delivery to Hong Kong. The range is Zincoheal tablets in 50mg. An order can be cancelled within 24 hours if it has not yet been dispatched, and support is on hand 24/7 in English and Cantonese.
How much do Zinc Oxide products cost in Hong Kong?
Zincoheal is priced per pack: its page lists every strength and pack size with the current price in HKD or your chosen currency.
Do I need a prescription to order Zinc Oxide?
PockDose does not ask you to upload a prescription when you order zinc oxide. See the ordering FAQ for details.
What is the difference between zinc oxide cream and zinc oxide tablets?
A cream or lotion stays on the skin, where zinc oxide soothes mild sunburn and minor irritation, and only a small amount is absorbed. A tablet is swallowed, and the zinc travels through the gut into the body as a mineral supplement. Zincoheal 50mg tablets are the oral form.
Can zinc oxide tablets be taken with antibiotics?
Yes, though timing matters with two antibiotic families, the quinolones and the tetracyclines. Zinc binds to them in the gut and lowers how much of the antibiotic is absorbed, so the tablet and the antibiotic are taken a few hours apart instead of together.
Do zinc tablets affect copper levels?
They can, if the intake is high and continues for months. Zinc and copper are taken up by the same route in the gut, so a large zinc intake over a long stretch can leave copper levels low. Copper supplements interact with zinc for the same reason.
What if I miss a zinc tablet?
Missing the odd tablet is not a problem with a mineral supplement. Take the next one at your usual time rather than doubling up to catch up.