Taking zinc, especially at doses of 100mg or more, should be done with a meal to avoid gastric distress and nausea.

“don't take zinc on an empty stomach and if you're trying to shorten a colder flu that you think you've already contracted or you're trying to keep a cold or flu at Bay because you were around people with cold or flu or you're just worried about it taking 100 milligrams of zinc perhaps divide it up into two doses of 50 milligrams each or maybe 100 milligrams all at once but making sure that you take that with at least a moderately sized or full meal certainly could be advantageous”