NOW Zinc Glycinate vs Thorne Zinc Picolinate 30 mg
NOW Foods Zinc Glycinate 30mg (120ct) and Thorne Zinc Picolinate 30mg (60ct) both deliver 30 mg of elemental zinc, but as different chelates: NOW uses glycinate, Thorne uses picolinate. Both are well-absorbed organic forms, and neither has convincingly beaten the other in humans. Thorne lists NSF Certified for Sport and costs roughly four times as much per day.
Informational comparison of label data and cost — not medical advice. Prices are per-serving figures as of the review date below; formulas are each brand’s published Supplement Facts.
The numbers, side by side
| NOW Foods Zinc Glycinate 30mg (120ct) | Thorne Zinc Picolinate 30mg (60ct) | |
|---|---|---|
| Form | Zinc glycinate (chelated) | Zinc picolinate (chelated) |
| Dose / serving | 30 mg | 30 mg |
| Serving size | 1 softgel | 1 capsule |
| Servings / container | 120 | 60 |
| Certification (as listed) | None | NSF Certified for Sport |
| Price | $11.01 | $20.00 |
| Cost / day | $0.10 | $0.33 |
| Buy | Check price → | Check price → |
Prices are Amazon buy-box figures ÷ pack serving count, last reviewed October 5, 2026. Formula details are each brand’s published Supplement Facts panel.
The real difference
Zinc glycinate and zinc picolinate are both organic chelates, chosen over zinc oxide because they absorb better and sit more easily on the stomach. Comparative human data between the two is thin and does not establish a clear winner, so treating them as broadly equivalent at the same elemental dose is the honest reading. Both here are 30 mg elemental.
The main difference on paper is that the Thorne listing says NSF Certified for Sport, while NOW lists no certification. The NSF Certified for Sport registry lists the Thorne product (listing #1211643, the 60-capsule bottle). At roughly four times the cost per day, that label is most of what you are paying for.
Who each one is for
Choose NOW if you want 30 mg of chelated zinc at the lowest cost per day and do not need a certified product.
Choose Thorne if you want a product listed in the NSF Certified for Sport registry.
Watch your total zinc sustained high-dose zinc induces copper deficiency. The adult upper limit is 40 mg a day from all sources, including multivitamins.
Our picks
30 mg elemental zinc as glycinate, no certification listed. $0.10/day.
30 mg elemental zinc as picolinate; in the NSF Certified for Sport registry (#1211643). $0.33/day.
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Frequently asked questions
Is zinc glycinate or zinc picolinate better?
Both are organic chelates that absorb well and are gentler on the stomach than zinc oxide. Comparative human evidence between them is limited and does not clearly favour either, so at the same elemental dose they are best treated as equivalent.
Is NOW or Thorne zinc better?
Both deliver 30 mg of elemental zinc as a chelate. Thorne is in the NSF Certified for Sport registry (listing #1211643, the 60-capsule bottle); NOW lists no certification and costs roughly a quarter as much per day. The cheaper product delivers the same elemental zinc.
Can you take 30 mg of zinc every day?
30 mg is under the 40 mg tolerable upper intake level for adults, but that limit counts all sources, including multivitamins. Zinc competes with copper for absorption, and sustained intakes above the limit cause copper deficiency.
Related
- Zinc forms compared — glycinate, picolinate, citrate and oxide
- Best zinc supplements — ranked by cost per elemental mg
- All zinc products — ranked by cost per dose
Sources
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. “Zinc — Health Professional Fact Sheet.” RDA and tolerable upper intake level. ods.od.nih.gov
- NSF. “Certified for Sport” — what the programme tests. nsfsport.com
- Product labels and Amazon pricing for both products, last reviewed October 5, 2026.