Who should not use zinc?

If you are allergic to any zinc products, you should probably avoid this supplement. Zinc may help a variety of conditions -- or it may affect them adversely because of poor absorption. Certain medical conditions and medications may interfere with your zinc supplement. So, be sure to talk with your doctor before taking zinc for conditions like colds, macular degeneration, sickle cell disease, a weakened immune system, stomach ulcers, acne, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), herpes, Wilson's disease, HIV/AIDS, acrodermatitis enteropathica, cirrhosis, alcoholism, celiac disease, kidney disease, high or low cholesterol, copper metabolism, thyroid function, inflammatory bowel disease, pancreatic conditions, high blood pressure and pregnancy.

Medications that may interfere with zinc include: blood pressure medications, penicillamine, amiloride, certain antibiotics, ACE inhibitors, cisplatin, immunosuppressant medications, deferoxamine, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and thiazide diuretics.