15/01/2026
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🌿 Choosing the Right Zinc Form in PANS/PANDAS
Since I just updated our popular **Zinc, Copper & Vitamin B6** post (see the link below), I thought it could be helpful to do a separate post on different Zinc forms and how to pick the right one.
In P/P, zinc isn’t just a “mineral deficiency issue.” It is tied to neurotransmitter balance, copper regulation, immune defense, gut repair, and B6 activation, and thus choosing the right Zinc form is really important.
Zinc is required for GABA production and calming neurotransmitters; Immune regulation (especially viral and intracellular defense); Gut lining repair and barrier integrity; Copper balance (keeping copper from becoming excitatory); and Activation of vitamin B6 (P5P) inside cells.
But different zinc forms act and get absorbed very differently in the body. Some forms are better absorbed, some are gentler on the gut, and some are basically “cheap fillers.”
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🔹 Zinc Picolinate: Deep Repletion & Mood
Zinc picolinate is a form where zinc is bound to picolinic acid, which helps shuttle zinc across the gut wall.
Picolinate is one of the best-absorbed forms, even when digestion is compromised. It reliably raises intracellular zinc and supports B6 activation.
It is often the first-line zinc in P/P when labs or symptoms point to deficiency.
* Studies in adults show zinc picolinate improves tissue zinc levels more than citrate or gluconate over several weeks, suggesting stronger long‑term absorption.
* This makes it a good option when there are clear signs of deficiency (poor appetite, stretch marks, slow wound healing, frequent infections, mood issues).
* It can be a bit “strong” for some kids’ stomachs, so starting low and taking with food is key.
Best fit:
▪️ Low zinc with poor absorption
▪️ Picky eaters / meat aversion
▪️ You are trying to correct low zinc : high copper patterns
▪️ There is a history of pyroluria, undermethylation, or high demand for B6 and neurotransmitter support
Watch for:
Nausea if taken on an empty stomach
Copper depletion if dosed aggressively without monitoring
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🔹 Zinc Carnosine
Zinc carnosine pairs zinc with the dipeptide carnosine and has been studied specifically for gut and mucosal healing.
* Human trials show zinc carnosine supports repair of the stomach and small‑intestinal lining, improves ulcer healing rates, and reduces mucosal injury and permeability.
* For kids with PANS/PANDAS who have “leaky gut,” chronic inflammation, food reactions, or antibiotic damage, this form can help restore barrier integrity and indirectly calm neuroinflammation.
* It helps repair the intestinal lining, which indirectly improves zinc, B6, and copper balance system-wide.
Think of it more as a therapeutic targeted gut‑healing zinc rather than your only systemic zinc source or a fast zinc repletion tool. It is excellent when zinc deficiency is secondary to gut damage.
Best fit:
▪️ Prominent GI issues: pain, reflux, ulcers, chronic loose stools, suspected increased permeability, leaky gut, chronic GI inflammation, poor nutrient absorption
▪️ You want to pair gut repair with work on the microbiome, mitochondria, and immune balance
▪️ Kids with eczema, reflux, or food reactivity
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🔹 Zinc Glycinate/Bisglycinate - Chelated Zinc
Zinc glycinate/bisglycinate is a chelated form that appears very well absorbed and often easier on the stomach in sensitive individuals.
Best fit:
▪️ Kids who tolerate glycine well
▪️ Very sensitive kids who get nauseous on other forms
▪️ Mild deficiency without major neuroinflammation
Caution:
In kids sensitive to glycine or glutamate pathways, this form can occasionally worsen anxiety or agitation. So Terrain matters here.
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🔹 Zinc Gluconate
Zinc Gluconate has a decent absorption and it is widely used. But it is less efficient for correcting deeper zinc deficiency. It can also irritate the stomach, and it's not ideal for long-term zinc/copper balancing
Best fit:
▪️ Acute immune support
▪️ Short-term viral defense
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🔹 Zinc Citrate - Gentle, ongoing support
Zinc citrate is well tolerated, moderately bioavailable, and commonly used in functional medicine, particularly in integrative oncology for immune and or metabolic support.
Caution in P/P:
Some neurologically sensitive kids find citrate forms mildly stimulating.
Best fit:
▪️ General immune support
▪️ Short-term repletion
▪️ Mitochondrial support protocols
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🔹 Zinc Oxide
Not recommended as oral zinc source
Mostly useful topically in diaper creams and sunscreens.
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✨ Related Post
Zinc, Copper & Vitamin B6: A Delicate Trio in PANS/PANDAS
https://www.facebook.com/PansHolisticGuide/posts/1484444559613944
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