Iron and zinc deficiencies may be treated to help female hair loss.
April 2010 in “The FASEB Journal” Knockout mice showed anemia and hair loss, suggesting other ways exist for iron absorption.
83 citations
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April 1992 in “Clinical Endocrinology” Having enough iron improves the effectiveness of a specific hair loss treatment in women.
February 2023 in “El-Minia Medical Bulletin” Female hair loss patients may benefit from zinc and iron supplements.
March 2012 in “EFSA Journal” Iron intake has not been proven to maintain normal hair growth.
63 citations
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January 1971 in “Acta Medica Scandinavica” Replenishing iron after phlebotomy can cause relapse in porphyria cutanea tarda.
1 citations
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January 2020 in “Journal of Crohn's and colitis” Many people with inflammatory bowel disease have a vitamin C deficiency, which can lead to scurvy symptoms.
June 2024 in “Archives of dermatological research” Dietary supplements might help prevent post-COVID hair loss, but serum ferritin is not a reliable indicator.
January 2022 in “International Journal of Medicine in Developing Countries” Many patients with hair loss had low iron and vitamin D levels, but thyroid issues were not common.
January 2011 in “Journal für Kardiologie (Krause & Pachernegg GmbH)” Postmenopausal women often experience hair loss on the scalp and increased facial hair, but iron supplements may not help.
September 2012 in “DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals)” 4 citations
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March 2020 in “JAAD Case Reports” Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause darkening of all nails.
21 citations
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January 2009 in “Indian journal of dermatology, venereology, and leprology” Vitamin B12, folate, ferritin, and iron levels are not linked to alopecia areata.
7 citations
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February 2017 in “The American journal of medicine” People often have iron deficiency after weight-loss surgery, which can cause symptoms like hair loss and dizziness, and iron levels should be tested to diagnose it.
12 citations
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July 1979 in “International Journal of Dermatology” A patient with zinc depletion improved after zinc supplementation during parenteral nutrition.
21 citations
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January 2014 in “Dermatology Research and Practice” Hair and serum levels of zinc, copper, and iron are similar in people with alopecia areata and healthy individuals.
November 2003 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology” Topical Imiquimod may fight vascular tumors by affecting blood vessels or the immune system, low iron might be linked to some hair loss, removing the top skin layer helps vitamin C get in, genetic testing helps diagnose skin conditions, and too much iron could worsen skin inflammation.
January 2004 in “Weiliang yuansu yu jiankang yanjiu” Copper levels differ by gender, and young children have higher mineral levels.
7 citations
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January 2002 in “Biological Trace Element Research” Children with pituitary dwarfism have higher zinc and copper, lower manganese, and similar iron levels in hair compared to normal children.
February 2026 in “iScience” Hair metal analysis may help diagnose Parkinson's disease and suggests gut involvement.
4 citations
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May 1989 in “Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine” Crohn's disease can cause hair loss before other symptoms appear.
Low ferritin and vitamin D levels are linked to hair loss.
June 2025 in “Public Health of Indonesia” Low levels of zinc, calcium, vitamin D, and ferritin may be linked to hair loss in women.
March 2025 in “Journal of Clinical Medicine” Iron chelators can effectively reduce hair loss and improve hair growth in autoimmune alopecia.
1 citations
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October 2022 in “The American Journal of Gastroenterology” Chronic arsenic exposure can cause liver damage and other health issues.
14 citations
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January 2006 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology” Transferrin receptor expression increases iron in mouse skin cells without causing damage.
January 2024 in “Ageing & longevity” Good nutrition and essential trace elements like zinc, selenium, and iron are important for a strong immune system and reducing COVID-19 severity.
October 2025 in “Pakistan Journal of Health Sciences” Low serum ferritin is linked to hair loss in women.
October 2025 in “Journal of the Endocrine Society” Low estrogen due to poor nutrition can lead to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
September 2019 in “IP Indian journal of clinical and experimental dermatology” Hormones and iron deficiency are linked to female pattern hair loss, and hair thinning patterns are similar across different types of this condition.