Quick answer

Women need 8 mg of zinc a day from age 19 on, and the amount does not change at 40, 50 or 60. Pregnancy raises it to 11 mg and breastfeeding to 12 mg. Among teenage girls, 20.9% take in less than the estimated average requirement, against 1% of boys.¹

Key facts

Women average about 9.2 mg of zinc a day from food, and 12.6 mg counting supplements.¹
A woman's body holds about 1.5 g of zinc, against about 2.5 g in a man's.¹
Iron supplements of 25 mg or more taken with zinc can reduce zinc absorption.¹
The 40 mg upper limit is the same for women, including in pregnancy and while breastfeeding.¹

How much women need

Zinc for women and girls, per day¹
Stage	Recommended	Upper limit
Girls 9 to 13	8 mg	23 mg
Girls 14 to 18	9 mg	34 mg
Women 19 and older	8 mg	40 mg
Pregnancy	11 mg, or 12 mg under 19	40 mg, or 34 mg under 19
Breastfeeding	12 mg, or 13 mg under 19	40 mg, or 34 mg under 19

The recommended amount stays at 8 mg a day through every decade of adult life. After 50 or 60, what changes is the chance of falling short, since older adults are among the groups most likely to have low intakes.^1,2

Who falls short

Among teens aged 14 to 18, 20.9% of girls but only 1% of boys took in less zinc than the estimated average requirement from food and supplements.¹

In national data from 2001 to 2014, 11% of pregnant women took in less zinc from food and supplements than the estimated average requirement.¹

Diet is a large part of it. Zinc is richest in meat and seafood, and women who eat little or none of them, or eat mostly beans and grains, usually take in less zinc and absorb less of what they eat.¹

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

The recommended amount is 11 mg a day during pregnancy and 12 mg while breastfeeding, or 12 mg and 13 mg for teens.¹

The extra 3 mg a day in pregnancy covers the baby's growth, and the requirement rises by 4 mg a day while breastfeeding. Studies disagree on whether eating more zinc, or taking a supplement, raises the zinc in breast milk.¹

Zinc in breast milk peaks in the first month after birth and falls by about 75% by the ninth month.¹

If you also take iron

Taking a supplement with 25 mg of iron or more at the same time as zinc can reduce zinc absorption. The iron added to fortified foods does not have this effect.^1,3

Women aged 19 to 50 need 18 mg of iron a day. If you take an iron supplement with 25 mg or more, ask your pharmacist whether to take it at a different time from your zinc.^1,4

What zinc does

Contributes to the maintenance of normal skin, hair and nails*^1,5

Moderate evidence

A well-established nutrient function. EU regulators permit these three statements, after EFSA review, for foods that are at least a source of zinc, and NIH lists skin among the tissues affected when zinc runs short. The claim describes what the body needs zinc for. It does not show that extra zinc changes skin, hair or nails in someone who already gets enough.

Amount studied: Recommended intake: 11 mg a day for men and 8 mg for women, from food and supplements

Helps you reach the recommended daily zinc intake when food falls short*^1,2,6

Moderate evidence

Most people in the United States get enough zinc from food, but national survey data from 2005 to 2016 show that 15% of adults take in less than the estimated average requirement. Teenage girls (20.9% below it), older adults, people who are pregnant and people who eat no meat are more likely to fall short. NIH says people who follow vegetarian or vegan diets might benefit from zinc supplements.

Amount studied: Recommended intake: 11 mg a day for men and 8 mg for women, from food and supplements

Who should ask first

Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding and want a zinc supplement
Women with Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis or celiac disease, or who have had weight loss surgery, which can lower zinc absorption⁶
Women taking a quinolone or tetracycline antibiotic, penicillamine or a thiazide diuretic⁶
Anyone whose total zinc would pass 40 mg a day: 50 mg or more for weeks can lower copper¹

Questions people ask

Do women over 50 need more zinc?

No. The recommended amount stays at 8 mg a day for all women aged 19 and older. Older adults are more likely to get too little, so check what your food and any multivitamin provide.^1,2

What does zinc do for women's hair and skin?

Skin, hair and nails need zinc, and EU regulators accept that zinc contributes to their normal maintenance. That is about getting enough. No source used here shows that extra zinc changes hair or skin that is already normal.^1,5

Does a multivitamin give women enough zinc?

Almost all multivitamin and mineral supplements contain zinc, so check the label against your 8 mg target. Remember that food adds about 9 mg a day on average for women.^1,6

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Sources

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

This page is information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own situation.