Flavored Zinc Gluconate Lozenges

• Pleasant tasting zinc gluconate lozenges flavored with citric acid released negatively charged species of zinc and worsened common colds. A report was published in 1987 and is reviewed here. Commercial pleasant tasting zinc citrate lozenges release negatively charged zinc species at physiologic pH 7.4 and are similarly believed likely to worsen colds.
  
  All zinc lozenges with citrate or citric acid have negative ZIA values and are believed to act as primary (T-cell) immunosuppressants. Their use in HIV patients or other immunosuppressed patients for a prolonged time could lead to serious sequela and possibly
  DEATH.

• Pleasant tasting zinc gluconate lozenges with zinc oxide are likely to be mislabelled and are mostly zinc oxide. They release no zinc ions and are ineffective.

• Pleasant tasting zinc gluconate lozenges with vitamin C (ascorbic acid) convert in situ or in the cooking process and release no zinc ions and are ineffective. Zinc ascorbate is non-miscible in water and floats on water. Zinc ascorbate is not a nutrient, is not absorbed into the body and is it is expelled through the feces.

• Pleasant tasting zinc gluconate lozenges with vegetable fats such as palm oil (fat) convert in the cooking process and release no zinc ions and are ineffective. Zinc palmitate is non-miscible and floats on water. Zinc palmitate is not a nutrient, it is not absorbed into the body and it is expelled through the feces.

• Pleasant tasting zinc gluconate lozenges containing zinc amino acids can not shorten colds because the amino acid chelated zinc is too tightly bound to release zinc ions at physiologic pH.

Other Zinc Lozenges

• Pleasant tasting zinc oxide, zinc aspartate or chelated zinc lozenges can not shorten colds because they do not release zinc ions at physiologic pH 7.4.

• For a graphical look at which zinc compounds release zinc ions, see this figure from authoritative sources.