Q: What does Ionic mean?
A: MaryRuth’s Liquid Ionic Zinc is a liquid dietary supplement that provides zinc in ionic form, meaning that zinc is found as ions in the solution. While science may not yet completely understand the absorption pathway of zinc in humans, intestinal zinc absorption is mainly mediated by the ZIP4 transporter to import ionic zinc into intestinal cells called enterocytes.
Zinc sulfate is considered GRAS by the FDA, and it was chosen for our product because it has a high reported absorption rate at 71% (compared, for example, to zinc citrate at 61.3%, zinc gluconate at 60.9% or zinc oxide at 49.9%).1
Please do not hesitate to let me know of any additional questions or if you need further assistance.
Reference:
1. Zinc Absorption by Young Adults from Supplemental Zinc Citrate Is Comparable with That from Zinc Gluconate and Higher than from Zinc Oxide
Q: What is the source of your Organic Glycerin?
A: The organic glycerin is sourced from mustard seed.
Q: What is the purpose of the glycerin in this product?
A: The Glycerin (also called Glycerol or Glycerine) in this product acts as a carrier, or base liquid, that our Zinc is suspended in, and was chosen for a couple of reasons.
As a producer of vegan supplements, Glycerin is a great option for us because it can be sourced from vegan ingredients; the Glycerin in this product is derived from mustard seed. Not only is Glycerin a natural preservative, but it’s also a natural sweetener, which helps mitigate the strong mineral-y taste of the Zinc, making our Liquid Zinc supplement more palatable.
Please do not hesitate to let me know of any additional questions or if you need further assistance.
Reference: https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Glycerol
Q: Why does this product only have 33% the Daily Value of Zinc?
A: Though the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) as established by the Institute of Medicine: Food and Nutrition Board for Zinc in infants is 2 mg for 0-6 months and 3 mg for 7-12 months, the Daily Value (DV) as established by the FDA for ages 0-12 months is 3 mg. Since our product contains 1 mg per serving, this is 33% of the DV.
DV’s are what you will see on the Supplement Fact Panels (SFPs) on our products and any other supplement on the market, as they establish a consistent recommendation that takes into consideration the Institute of Medicine: Food and Nutrition Board’s Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) as well as their “Tolerable Upper Intake Levels” (ULs).
Since our product is in liquid form, you may choose to supplement more or less as you wish with the liquid dropper, depending on your infant’s diet and needs. As always, in order to make the best health decisions possible for your little one, we recommend speaking with your pediatrician, physician, or healthcare professional to best determine what is best for your child.