Analysis of Serum Zinc and Copper Concentrations in Hair Loss

January 2013 in “ Annals of Dermatology ”

Min Seong Kil, Chul Woo Kim, Sang Seok Kim

serum zinc copper concentrations alopecia areata telogen effluvium zinc supplementation AA TE

TLDR People with hair loss, especially those with certain types, have lower zinc levels, and zinc supplements might help.

The study, which included 312 patients with various types of hair loss and 30 healthy controls, found that serum zinc levels were significantly lower in patients with hair loss, particularly in those with alopecia areata (AA) and telogen effluvium (TE), compared to the control group. The mean serum zinc level in hair loss patients was 84.33±22.88 µg/dl, significantly lower than the control's 97.94±21.05 µg/dl. Patients with AA and TE also had a higher ratio of serum zinc levels below 70 µg/dl. In contrast, serum copper levels did not show a significant difference, suggesting that zinc, but not copper, might play a role in these hair loss conditions. The study suggests that zinc supplementation could be beneficial for patients with low serum zinc levels and hair loss.

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Semantic ratio: 80%