Magnesium Content of Hair in Alopecia Areata Atopica

The study from 1976 investigated the magnesium content in the hair of patients with alopecia areata atopica, nonatopic dermatological patients, and normal controls using atomic absorption spectroscopy. It found that both groups of patients had lower average magnesium levels compared to normal subjects, although there was significant overlap between the groups. The researchers suggested that the reduced magnesium levels in patients might be attributed to the nonspecific 'metabolic cost' associated with skin diseases.