First thing I would suggest would be you stop taking 50mg of Zinc. Upper limit is 40mg and taking high Zinc intake limits Copper absorption.
Here's a supplement that has a good Zinc to Copper ratio: https://www.amazon.com/Jarrow-Formulas-Supports-Antioxidant-Protection/dp/B0001VKDDM/
Hey buddy, the whole zinc copper depletion thing is way overblown but it has some truth to it. When we take things in isolation it can cause an imbalance. Nature doesn’t ever use just one element in isolation. Literally everything is contained within a complex of chemicals. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. But we can counter that by taking certain supplements with food and with the element that balances them. So with zinc you want both zinc and copper together but in a moderate amount since the body stores both of them. You take it with your largest meal to prevent stomach upset and you take them both together at the same time so that way you can’t get any imbalances. And the food helps not only with absorption but the other elements in the food will balance out any imbalances created from taking isolated compounds. Basically we are doing two things, we are taking a higher isolated amount to correct a deficiency or less optimal situation and we are using the same principle of nature by taking it with other elements to create a more balanced approach. I do have a brand I recommend but any quality brand will do as long as it is reputable enough and also has these elements in moderate amount. That way it can be taken longterm without causing toxicity or another imbalance. Most recommendations I give are for the longterm “indefinitely” type of mindset. Here is the one to order off amazon. If you have anymore questions don’t hesitate to ask. Thanks buddy.
Jarrow Formulas Zinc Balance 15 mg, Immune Support, Includes Copper, White, 100 Count https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0001VKDDM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Y4QQHFQCYMP8W0TQSWAG
I'm quite meticulous with the small details of life.
I have a master of science degree. That's not some crazy accomplishment, because there's lots of people out there with similar masters degrees or even higher educational achievements.
I am 100% certain that what I take is mono L-methionine Zinc, aka chelated Zinc, aka Optizinc (that's the trademarked name for one version of mono L-methionine zinc).
You can check the bottle if you want. Have a fun time with it.
Jarrow Formulas Zinc Balance 15 mg, Immune Support, Includes Copper, White, 100 Count https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0001VKDDM/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_i_2VKKT5QX28473KVYZWNV?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
It includes 1mg copper per capsule, hence the name "Zinc balance" on the bottle.
This shit FULLY SUPPRESSES ALLLLL of my HS symptoms.
I take this kind that's chelated, meaning it's highly bioavailable. I take a lower dosage in total of this kind because of the very good absorption. That means with a lower dose, I'm less likely to get sick. For me, I take 30mg of this zinc mono l-methionine type in place of 50mg of the zinc gluconate type.
Also, can't stress this next thing enough. Just as others have said, take it with food. Like, not just right after a snack, but quite literally in the middle of a meal. I eat some of my breakfast or dinner, take my two pills of zinc and drink 8oz water with them, and then finish my meal. If it don't do that, my chance of getting sick is much higher.
The 1mg copper won't harm you, it's there to give your body some balance. It's also a 15mg zinc : 1mg copper ratio, whereas many other formulations are 15mg zinc : 2mg copper ratio. For long-term use like we use this for HS, you do want some copper, but not too much. This is why I like this Jarrow formulation.
I tried this one! So it looks like the same dosage you're on.
I started taking a women's one a day multivitamin a month or so ago that has only 8% Zinc and haven't had any real issues with it. Currently not taking it because I'm getting retested next week and I read on this sub that biotin can artificially impact the TSH level in blood testing.
Basic store bought 1000mg of vit c. Basic store bought 5000iu's of vit D3. I've used this zinc without any issues so I'd say safe.
FYI on any non-store bought product. If you start to itch soon after taking it, stop taking it; you could be damaging your liver.
Read up on a guy who was taking some nootropics and started taking some lions mane that he got off of amazon. Turns out it was a bad batch and what was causing his extreme itching. He had liver damage from it and might have needed a liver transplant later on, but can't remember the story much beyond that.
50mg of zinc is allot,
You should try 15mg with 2mg of copper
Maybe you have to cut down your dose. I have tried Jarrows formula zinc with copper. Felt better on my stomach.
https://www.amazon.com/Jarrow-Formulas-Supports-Antioxidant-Protection/dp/B0001VKDDM
What supplements are you taking? This might be a coincidence but I took 30mg daily w/ 1 mg copper for 6 months (Nov 2020-May 2021) and after treating my active warts (Feb 2021) no new ones have come back.. yet. Now I take 15mg daily with 1mg copper.. sometimes I skip a day.
I use these brands. You don't need the copper everyday but I read that zinc can reduce the amount of copper your body absorbs so it's good to add it into your regiment.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001VKDDM/ref=ppx\_yo\_dt\_b\_search\_asin\_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0797NSHQX/ref=ppx\_yo\_dt\_b\_search\_asin\_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Hello! I’m going through a similar situation and I’m just starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. For content my hormonal acne is caused by my iud but for other health reasons I cannot switch to a different BC. I typically get deep cysts as well as whiteheads/blackheads.
Supplements:
What has been working for me: - Zinc. I’ve been taking this brand of zinc (one a night) and it’s been really helpful. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0001VKDDM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_08PBV3XTBZ9V50P76C4X
Supplements that didn’t work for me: - msm. I heard a lot of good things about msm as a supplement. I bought a skincare pill with msm, biotin, carrot extract, blueberry extract, green tea, but using it I saw no difference.
Other random supplements I take: - fish oil - multi vitamin - vitamin D - fiber - magnesium
Non supplements: - I started curology in November to get in a low dose of tret. It seems to help “every day” acne but does not prevent large flare ups for me. - Sulfur. I haven’t actually tried this one yet but I’m really excited about it. I really wanted the PTR Sulfur mask but couldn’t justify the price. A derm I follow on YouTube recommendation this https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00T3GONIM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_VS9P2GGZP3484D01M193?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1 and I’m just got it today. I’ll try to remember to keep you updated!
Final thing but I’m definitely not a doctor and you should always reach out to your doctor before taking any new medications including supplements. Everyone’s bodies and acne are different so what works for me may or may not work for you.
This is what I use, but it has 15mg zinc + 2mg copper. I need the copper to keep my serum levels (zinc/copper ratio) in check and avoid a copper deficiency, since I've been on this regimen for nearly 11 months. If you're new to high dosing of zinc, you may not need copper included at first. Best way to find out is to get your blood drawn and tested for your zinc and copper serum levels (most doctors can do this, or just give you a slip to go to a lab for it). Then you can calculate, from your blood draw results, your current zinc/copper ratio.
Here's one that is only zinc in the monomethionine form: https://www.amazon.com/Source-Naturals-OptiZinc-Methionine-Sulfate/dp/B0019LU34W/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=zinc%2Bmonomethionine&qid=1602209736&sr=8-5&th=1
It has good reviews, and I recognize the brand. You may want to read through the entire product description and most of the reviews before buying/trying it.
And here's a website with information about how to calculate your zinc/copper ratio, and what a good ratio looks like: https://www.deannaminich.com/copper-to-zinc-achieving-the-right-balance/
If you don't need copper or are just starting out, you are probably better off dosing zinc and copper separately at first, in which case you'd need to do... a lot of reading... unfortunately. Because there are numerous results for "zinc methionine" when you search for it on Amazon.com
Be careful not to purchase a supplement that is L-Methionine only (you want zinc that is BOUND to L-Methionine, not L-Methionine as a standalone supplement). For example, Now Foods, a popular supplement brand -- especially on Amazon -- sells L-Methionine (which comes up when you search 'zinc methionine') yet this product has no zinc at all. It's just L-Methionine. Which won't do anything for your HS. You want zinc that is chelated/bound to L-Methionine. You could also try zinc gluconate or zinc orotate, both of which have fairly good absorption rates but which both also suffer from absorption difficulties due to interference from dietary fiber and phytic acid.
An alternate term to search for zinc products would be "OptiZinc" in the search bar on Amazon.com