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Drug Nutrient Depletion Guide

ACE Inhibitors: What It Depletes and How to Replenish

ACE Inhibitors (Lisinopril, Enalapril, Ramipril) is associated with clinically documented depletion of 1 key nutrient. Below you'll find the mechanism, clinical evidence, and evidence-based replenishment protocols for each.

This page is educational content based on published clinical trials. All supplement recommendations should be discussed with your prescribing physician before implementation. Evidence ratings follow the same RCT-first methodology used across the full Evidence Based Longevity database.
1 Documented Depletions · RCT Evidence
1
Zinc
Critical Depletion Risk
How It Depletes

ACE inhibitors chelate zinc — zinc is the cofactor in ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme). Long-term use leads to significant zinc depletion.

Clinical Evidence

Golik et al. (1998) — significant urinary zinc loss in ACE inhibitor users; Braunschweig et al. (1995)

Symptoms of Deficiency

Immune suppression, loss of taste/smell (classic captopril side effect), wound healing delay, increased infection risk

Evidence-Based Replenishment

Zinc bisglycinate 15–30mg daily. Note: excess zinc above 40mg competes with copper — balance with 1–2mg copper if supplementing long-term.

View on Fullscript: Thorne Zinc Picolinate 15mg

Discuss with your physician before adjusting supplementation. This is educational content, not medical advice.

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