Is Zinc Safe with Dolutegravir?
Free · No account · based on published sources including NIH ODS, FDA drug labels, and peer-reviewed literature
Avoid taking zinc supplements simultaneously with Dolutegravir. Apply the same separation rules as with iron and calcium: separate by at least 2 hours before or 6 hours after if taken without food. Co-administration with food reduces but may not eliminate this interaction.
Why this interaction occurs
Zinc (Zn2+) is a divalent cation that chelates with the integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI) pharmacophore of Dolutegravir, impairing absorption. Pharmacokinetic data indicate meaningful reductions in Dolutegravir exposure, with potential implications for viral suppression.
Evidence
Evidence level: moderate.
Reported safety data
The FDA’s adverse event reporting system (FAERS) has received 9,613 reports mentioning Dolutegravir. This reflects reported cases involving the medication in general — not confirmed causation, and not specific to the Dolutegravir + supplement combination on this page.
FAERS reports are voluntary and cannot prove that a drug caused an event. Do not use report counts to assess the safety of this specific drug-supplement pair.
Frequently asked questions
Related interactions
All Zinc interactions → · All Dolutegravir interactions →
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Educational only — not medical advice.
Always confirm with your doctor or pharmacist.