5 Tips To Reduce Nausea After Taking Zinc

Zinc is a mineral found in the body. It naturally occurs in many foods and is needed to keep the body working. It helps the body function in various ways, including boosting metabolism and the immune system. It is one of several essential nutrients needed to live a healthy life.

Many people take zinc supplements or seek out zinc-rich sources to help increase their intake. However, the mineral can cause nausea in some people, leading to an aversion. But there are things you can do to combat this and ensure you get the right amount of zinc without the nasty side effect of feeling sick. And learning how to reduce nausea after taking the supplement can allow you to maintain healthy levels and not suffer the side effects.

Zinc Specifics

Zinc is found within your cells and helps fight off pathogens with the immune system. It is essential to growth and development within the body and is used to make DNA and proteins. This makes it especially important for children and people who are pregnant. Without this mineral, your body would not work well at all, so there is a reason why keeping your daily recommended does in mind is a good idea.

The mineral is in many foods and vitamins, and you can take zinc on its own to help meet that daily dose. If you have a varied and healthy diet, you are likely already getting enough. But you can have too little or too much, and each has some negative side effects. 

Some people will also take more depending on certain circumstances. In these instances, if you are hoping to treat symptoms like wounds or a cold, it is beneficial to speak with your doctor to ensure you won’t overdo it.

The Benefits

A lot of people take zinc for an immunity boost. If they aren’t eating enough zinc-rich foods, they may take a tablet or capsule of the mineral to get there. The list of things zinc can do for you is long and includes the following:

• Boosted immune system
• Beating a cold faster
• Helping with a sense of smell and taste
• Improved wound healing
• Fighting against macular degeneration

People who have specific symptoms could benefit from taking the supplement. Zinc could also speed up healing if someone is suffering from a bad cold or even skin ulcers. 

With all the pros listed, it’s no wonder people are running out to get zinc supplements or vitamins to add to their daily diet. But you do have to be careful with how you take it and how much you take. 

Daily Dosage

The recommended daily intake for zinc is between 8 and 11 mg. And a bit above or below is generally okay. Between 25 and 45 mg would be considered a high dose, and going over 40 mg could be hazardous to your health. The body will not store zinc and keep an amount in reserve should you dip too low, so aiming for that initial range every day is a good idea. 

If you are considering adding a supplement on top of other medication or dietary issues, you should ask your doctor. And keep these numbers in mind when considering how and where to add zinc to your diet. 

Signs of Deficiency

Not everyone can get enough zinc since it isn’t stored in the body over time. And if someone, for whatever reason, isn’t getting enough from their daily diet, a supplement might be needed to maintain healthy levels. 

Zinc deficiency can prevent your body from functioning properly, especially considering how many integral processes involve zinc, like cell division and the immune system. With that in mind, many symptoms of deficiency mirror how it helps the body. 

Someone with a deficiency may experience a loss in appetite, a weaker immune system, and slower growth. A more severe deficiency can lead to more serious symptoms like hair loss, skin lesions, lower wound healing ability, diarrhea, and lethargy. 

Zinc Deficiency Causes

There are a few reasons why someone may experience deficiency. They may need to eat more in their diet. Vegetarians sometimes deal with zinc deficiency since they are not getting any from eating meat, and they should add more nuts, beans, and legumes to balance it out. 

Some people deal with chronic health issues leading to a lack of zinc in the body or poor absorption. As people age, some do not eat specific foods with zinc or take medication that flushes it out more quickly. Additional conditions linked to deficiency include cancer, diabetes, Crohn’s disease, and alcoholism, among others.

If you have noted that your diet is missing zinc or are looking to take it to combat a specific issue, make sure you don’t overdo it. The mineral has a few adverse side effects if taken incorrectly, including nausea. 

If you’ve noticed nausea when taking a supplement or eating zinc-rich foods, there may be a specific and treatable reason. 

The Cause of Nausea

For a mineral so crucial to the body, it does have some unpleasant side effects when overdone, including nausea. By recognizing the cause of nausea, you can often correct it. It could be due to taking too much, taking it on an empty stomach, or ingesting the wrong kind of zinc.

Zinc can be found in things like sunscreen and skin creams, and other things that are not meant to be eaten. This is easy to avoid by ensuring the zinc supplements you take are meant for oral ingestion.

How to Reduce Nausea After Taking Zinc

If you need to take zinc supplements or want to ensure you get enough every day but don’t want to deal with possibly feeling sick, keep these tips in mind so you can stay nausea-free. 

1. Don’t Take Too Much

Taking too much is a surefire way to end up feeling worse and possibly making yourself more than just nauseated. Generally, the limit of your daily intake should be 40 mg. Anything higher than that, you will likely feel sick and risk experiencing symptoms of a zinc overdose. 

Again, staying within the recommended 8-15 mg a day is the safest bet for adults. You can go a bit above, but it isn’t recommended to increase your dose too much, especially if you are unsure how much you might be getting from other sources like food. Children should be getting around 4 to 7 mg, but that also depends on the age. 

2. Find Zinc In Food

One way to prevent nausea associated with zinc is not to take it as a supplement but to add it naturally to your diet in foods. Allowing your body to absorb the mineral through the food you eat is more gentle on your system and is less likely to cause any negative feelings afterward since the absorption is more gradual.

Unless you have a specific deficiency, many medical professionals recommend you seek zinc in whole foods instead of adding a supplement. You can find the mineral in many foods, including baked beans, oysters, milk, yogurt, chickpeas, fortified cereals, nuts (especially almonds), red meat, and poultry. 

3. Take It With Food

Like many other medications, vitamins, and mineral supplements, zinc is usually better taken with food. Taking it on an empty stomach can trigger nausea. Unless specifically instructed to take a supplement on an empty stomach, try taking it following a decent-sized meal, like after breakfast or dinner. 

4. Take It With Water

If you’re taking a pill form of the supplement, you’ll likely be drinking something to help it go down, but adding a glass of water before or right after you take zinc can help you feel better. It can break down the supplement and spread it out more in your stomach, leading to less irritation and a lower chance of nausea. 

5. Take the Right Form

Zinc is a mineral, and you would never take it in its “pure” form to get the nutrients you need. And because of this, there are many different forms available of supplements to take. Finding the right one for your body could make all the difference in preventing nausea. 

Some forms include zinc sulfate, gluconate, oxide, acetate, and zinc bisglycinate (or zinc glycinate). Check what kind of supplements you’ve been recommended or have considered taking. The amount of actual zinc being absorbed will differ depending on the form it’s in. 

Generally, zinc bisglycinate or zinc glycinate is the easiest on the stomach and least likely to make you nauseous. It can take a little longer to be absorbed, which means it isn’t in competition with other minerals and won’t shock your body by being absorbed too fast.

Dangers of zinc overdose

If you’ve noticed more significant side effects other than nausea, you may have taken over 40 mg and experienced a possible zinc overdose. Taking too much can lead to nausea, vomiting, cramps, diarrhea, and even severe intestinal issues. It can lead to a copper deficiency and make you more susceptible to infection.

While it is uncommon for someone to have an overdose, it is possible and something to watch out for if you take supplements. 

You may also experience flu symptoms from taking too much, like chills, fever, fatigue, cough, and headache. Be mindful when taking supplements that you are going under 40 mg. If you notice some of these symptoms after taking the supplement, drinking milk can help prevent some absorption. If you suspect an overdose, seek medical attention to prevent any more serious issues from developing.

The Best Strategy

If you do not have a deficiency, try to avoid pills or supplement forms for zinc. A supplement will be harsher on your stomach, so try to get your zinc intake from whole foods if possible. You can always get enriched foods like certain breakfast cereals that make a point of including more zinc. 

And if you’re unsure about a supplement, talk to your doctor before buying and taking different zinc forms. They can also test you for a deficiency, though a full medical background is generally needed since zinc is not present in all cells. 

No Nausea, No Problem

Even though it can cause nausea in some instances, zinc is a mineral that can’t be missed. If you follow the above steps, you should be able to keep your daily zinc dose in check without feeling unwell. Because it is such a crucial mineral for the immune system and other body processes, you can’t write it off due to one-time nausea. 

Taking zinc can be as easy as rounding out your diet and being mindful of your meals. And if you’re watching your intake and not overdoing it, you should be set to reap the benefits of the mineral without any negative side effects. 
If you want to ensure a more balanced body, CORR can help you create good dietary plans to meet all your needs and not overdo anything. Connect today and learn how to begin your journey down a healthier path.