Can taking zinc before anti-wrinkle injections really extend the results, or has Instagram swallowed half the study?
Written by Injector Rick at BONAVADA Aesthetics in Worthing
Instagram has discovered another secret that medical research has apparently been selfishly hiding from us.
This time, the claim is that taking 50 mg of zinc before your appointment can make Botox last longer.
A supplement costing a few pounds, fewer appointments and a forehead that remains beautifully unbothered for months longer. What is not to like?
Unfortunately, there are a few details missing from the Reel.
For clarity, BOTOX® is one brand of prescription-only botulinum toxin. I will use “botulinum toxin” throughout the rest of this article.
So, does zinc make Botox last longer?
Possibly for some people, but the evidence is not strong enough to say that taking 50 mg of elemental zinc will reliably make your treatment last longer.
There is a credible scientific theory behind the idea. Botulinum toxin is a zinc-dependent enzyme, meaning zinc plays a role in the biological process that allows it to interrupt communication between nerves and muscles. However, that does not automatically mean that swallowing more zinc improves its performance, especially when someone already has adequate zinc levels.
Where did the zinc and Botox claim come from?
Most of the excitement comes from a small 2012 study involving 77 people receiving botulinum toxin for cosmetic facial lines, eyelid spasms or hemifacial spasm.
The researchers tested:
50 mg of zinc citrate combined with 3,000 phytase units
10 mg of zinc gluconate
a placebo
Among those receiving the zinc citrate and phytase combination, 92% reportedly experienced longer-lasting results, with an average increase of almost 30%. Most also felt that the treatment produced a stronger effect (Koshy et al., 2012).
That sounds impressive.
However, the study did not simply test the “50 mg elemental zinc tablet” now being recommended on social media.
It tested zinc citrate with phytase.
Phytase is an enzyme that can help release zinc from compounds in food that might otherwise interfere with its absorption. Removing the phytase while repeating the headline result is rather like leaving the eggs out of a cake and insisting you followed the recipe.
There was also uncertainty about whether the stated 50 mg referred to the zinc citrate compound or the amount of elemental zinc actually provided.
How reliable was the study?
Not reliable enough to settle the argument.
A detailed academic critique identified several problems. The participants were not shown to be zinc deficient, the actual zinc dose was ambiguous, different botulinum toxin products and medical conditions were included, and the unusually dramatic reported results effectively revealed who was receiving the active supplement. The study was then stopped early.
The critique also raised concerns about the amount of data presented and a potential financial conflict of interest. Its conclusion was that claims about zinc improving botulinum toxin should be treated with considerable scientific scepticism (Cohen, 2014).
A 2023 systematic review found only three randomised trials and one case report on the subject. Three reported some improvement, but the authors still concluded that larger studies using objective measurements were needed (Mallat, Kaikati and Kechichian, 2023).
In less academic language:
There may be something in it, but we are nowhere near proving the viral claim.
Is 50 mg of zinc safe?
The NHS advises adults not to take more than 25 mg of zinc supplements per day unless advised by a doctor. High zinc intake can reduce copper absorption and, when continued, contribute to anaemia and weakened bones (NHS, 2020).
Taking 50 mg briefly is not the same as taking it for several weeks or months. Even so, it is twice the NHS recommended supplemental limit and should not be presented as harmless universal advice.
Zinc supplements can also interfere with the absorption of some antibiotics and medicines, including penicillamine.
My honest verdict
Zinc supplementation might improve botulinum toxin response or longevity in certain people, perhaps particularly where zinc levels are low.
What the evidence does not currently support is this promise:
“Take 50 mg of elemental zinc before Botox and it will definitely last longer.”
The best-known study used a particular zinc and phytase combination, had important methodological weaknesses and has not been followed by enough high-quality independent research.
For that reason, high-dose zinc is not something I routinely recommend as part of the pre-treatment guidance at BONAVADA Aesthetics.
Occasionally, the boring answer is also the accurate one: your forehead does not yet require its own nutrition.
Written by Rick Howard-Pay, founder and aesthetic practitioner at BONAVADA Aesthetics in Worthing.
Because apparently even your forehead now has a supplement routine.
References
Cohen, J.L. (2014) ‘Scientific skepticism and new discoveries: an analysis of a report of zinc/phytase supplementation and the efficacy of botulinum toxins in treating cosmetic facial rhytides, hemifacial spasm and benign essential blepharospasm’, Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, 16(5), pp. 258-262. Available at:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25105993
Accessed 1 August 2026
Koshy, J.C. et al. (2012) ‘Effect of dietary zinc and phytase supplementation on botulinum toxin treatments’, Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 11(4), pp. 507-512. Available at:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22453589
Accessed 1 August 2026
Mallat, F., Kaikati, J. and Kechichian, E. (2023) ‘Botulinum toxins and zinc: from theory to practice, a systematic review’, Clinical Neuropharmacology. Available at:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37335837
Accessed 1 August 2026
NHS (2020) Vitamins and minerals: Others, including zinc. Available at:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/others
Accessed 1 August 2026
National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements (2026) Zinc: Fact sheet for health professionals. Available at:
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Zinc-HealthProfessional
Accessed 1 August 2026