Zinc Bisglycinate IO Genix - Maximum Absorption Zinc Bisglycinate Paul Lohmann® & Digestive Tolerance

What is IO Genix Zinc Bisglycinate?

IO Genix Zinc Bisglycinate is a zinc supplement in vegetable capsules, dosed at 15 mg of elemental zinc per capsule, alongside 1.4 mg of vitamin B6. A capsule weighs 0.58 g, which makes it a very compact format to swallow.

The form used is Paul Lohmann® zinc bisglycinate. Paul Lohmann is a German manufacturer of mineral salts, and its name on the label tells you where the raw material comes from, not that it has some magical property. Bisglycinate is zinc bound to two glycine molecules. That bond changes the way the mineral crosses the intestinal wall: it takes the amino acid routes rather than those used by free minerals. In plain terms, it is gentler on the stomach than oxide or sulphate, and that is the real reason to choose it. The rest of the Spanish range can be browsed in our IO Genix section.

The capsule is made of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, so it is of plant origin: this product is suitable for vegetarian and vegan diets, which is not the case for every capsule supplement.

What does one capsule contain?

The 85 g of carbohydrate per 100 g come from the maltodextrin that carries the powder. On the scale of a single capsule, that amounts to half a gram and two calories: no impact whatsoever on your day.

15 mg of zinc is the ceiling, not an average dose. It is one and a half times the European reference value, and it is also the daily limit that ANSES applies to food supplements in France. In other words, there is nothing to gain by going higher, and there is something to lose: above 25 mg per day from all sources combined, zinc competes with copper and ends up degrading copper status. This product is calibrated to take up all the room available, which has a direct consequence: do not stack it with a ZMA or a multivitamin that already contains some. We look at these thresholds in detail in our article on zinc bisglycinate dosage.

At this dose the authorised claims are numerous and deserve to be quoted word for word, because they say exactly what the product can do: zinc contributes to normal protein synthesis, to the normal function of the immune system, to the protection of cells from oxidative stress, to the maintenance of normal skin, hair and nails, and to the maintenance of normal testosterone levels in the blood. Maintaining is not increasing — that distinction determines what you can expect from this bottle.

Vitamin B6 at 1.4 mg covers the reference value exactly. It contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism, to the normal functioning of the nervous system, to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, and to the regulation of hormonal activity. Its presence here is not decorative: B6 and zinc are both involved in protein metabolism, and the pairing is a classic in formulas aimed at athletes. If it is vitamin B6 on its own that interests you, our vitamin B section offers it dosed in its own right.

Ingredients list

Maltodextrin, vegetable capsule (hydroxypropyl methylcellulose), PAUL LOHMANN® zinc bisglycinate, anti-caking agents (magnesium salts of fatty acids and silicon dioxide), pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6). May contain traces of GLUTEN (WHEAT and OATS), NUTS, PEANUTS, EGGS, MILK, SULPHITES, FISH and SOYA.

How should you take IO Genix Zinc Bisglycinate?

Dose: 1 capsule. Liquid: a glass of water, 200 ml is enough. Timing: in the morning on an empty stomach, or between two meals, leaving at least an hour before or after a full meal. Frequency: one serving a day, never two. Duration: the manufacturer recommends a course of two to three months.

The “on an empty stomach” instruction is not an affectation. The phytates in wholegrain cereals and pulses, the calcium in dairy products and the tannins in tea and coffee all reduce zinc absorption. A capsule taken with a bowl of porridge oats and a coffee delivers markedly less than a capsule taken with a glass of water. If an empty stomach makes you feel sick — it happens with zinc, even in chelated form — take it just after a light meal rather than giving up on it.

Also space it out from your magnesium if you take that in the evening: the two minerals do not directly compete at these doses, but two hours apart is enough to put the question to rest. The same goes for an iron supplement, where the competition is real.

One piece of information is missing and we would rather say so: the manufacturer does not publish the number of capsules per bottle in the information available to us. The format shown on the packaging you receive is what counts when working out exactly how long your course will last.

Who is this zinc for, and who is it not for?

It suits anyone whose diet is low in animal products, since the best-absorbed dietary zinc comes from meat, eggs and seafood. It also suits athletes in a prolonged calorie deficit, whose micronutrient intake falls automatically along with portion sizes. And it suits vegans, since the capsule is plant-based.

It is not for you if you already take a multivitamin or a ZMA containing zinc: the combined total would quickly exceed 25 mg a day, which achieves nothing and disrupts copper in the long run. It is not advised for pregnant or breastfeeding women without medical advice, and it calls for the opinion of a healthcare professional if you are on any treatment — zinc interferes in particular with the absorption of certain antibiotics, which need to be spaced several hours apart.

The product is made in a factory that handles gluten, nuts, peanuts, eggs, milk, sulphites, fish and soya. If you have a severe allergy, that point alone is enough to rule the product out.

What not to expect from it: this is not a hormonal stimulant. Zinc helps maintain normal testosterone levels in someone who is short of it; it does not raise them in someone whose status is already fine. You will probably feel nothing when you take it, and that is normal. For any question relating to a blood test or a suspected deficiency, speak to your doctor rather than doubling the dose.

Zinc bisglycinate on its own, or ZMA?

This is the choice most buyers face, and both answers hold up depending on the context.

A ZMA combines zinc, magnesium and vitamin B6 in a single evening serving. It is the better choice if you are also short of magnesium, which is common among athletes who sweat a lot, and if you would rather have one bottle than two. Its drawback is well known: zinc doses in ZMA are often above 15 mg, and magnesium at a high dose slightly hinders zinc absorption when the two arrive together.

Zinc bisglycinate on its own follows a different logic. You dose exactly the mineral you are targeting, you take it at the most favourable moment of the day, and you remain free to place your magnesium in the evening, separately. It is the better choice if your need is specific, if you already have a magnesium supplement on the go, or if you want to control your daily total to the milligram.

One thing worth noting in passing: the previous description of this product claimed absorption “43% higher” than conventional forms. That figure rests on no verifiable source and we have removed it. Bisglycinate is better tolerated and well absorbed, and that is all that can honestly be said about it.

Frequently asked questions

Should it be taken in the morning or in the evening?

The morning on an empty stomach is the most effective slot, because nothing competes with absorption at that point. The evening works too, provided it is well away from dinner. What matters more than the time of day is consistency: one capsule every day is worth more than two every other day.

Why choose a bisglycinate rather than a zinc oxide?

For digestive tolerance above all. Zinc oxide is cheap but causes nausea and cramps in some users, especially on an empty stomach. Bisglycinate, bound to two glycines, uses a different absorption route and makes itself far less noticed. At an equal dose of elemental zinc, that is where the difference lies.

Is 15 mg of zinc too much?

No, it is exactly the daily limit applied in France for food supplements. The problem is not this capsule, it is the sum total: if you are also taking a multivitamin with 10 mg and a ZMA with 25 mg, you are well above anything useful. Add it all up before you stack.

Is this product suitable for vegans?

Yes. The capsule is made of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, a material of plant origin, and no ingredient in the formula is of animal origin. The point to watch is manufacturing traces, not the composition.

Can it be combined with vitamin C or omega 3?

Without any problem. Neither of those two families competes with zinc for absorption. The only combinations to space out are iron, high-dose calcium and magnesium taken at the same moment.

How long should a course last?

The manufacturer recommends two to three months. That is consistent with the time needed to rebuild zinc status, which is counted in weeks rather than days. Beyond three continuous months, a break or a blood test is more sensible than simply carrying on.

Does zinc raise testosterone?

No, and nobody can honestly write that it does. The only wording authorised in Europe is that zinc contributes to the maintenance of normal testosterone levels in the blood. In a man whose intake is already sufficient, there is nothing to expect on that front; in someone who is deficient, it helps bring things back to normal.

Where to buy IO Genix Zinc Bisglycinate

You can order it from this page, and we ship throughout France and Europe. At the Vendargues shop, about ten minutes from Montpellier, the question we always ask before selling a zinc is “what else are you taking?” — because half the customers who come in for one are already taking it without realising, in another formula. The full range of minerals and vitamins can be browsed in our sports nutrition section.