Why does nausea occur when taking zinc?

In cases of pronounced zinc deficiency, it can happen that even moderate doses (for example, 30–50 mg of elemental zinc per dose) can cause nausea. This is related to the fact that the stomach and digestive system react sensitively to the sudden influx of a large amount of zinc, especially when the mucosa has not yet adapted to the increased level.

This phenomenon occurs quite often and is considered a normal side effect during the correction of deficiency.

As the level of zinc in the body normalizes, tolerance usually improves, and nausea subsides.

To reduce the severity of this effect:

• it's better to take zinc after meals rather than on an empty stomach;

• sometimes breaking the daily dose into several intakes helps.