Analysis of serum zinc and copper concentrations in hair loss.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Case-control observational study comparing trace element concentrations between patients and healthy controls.
PubMed 24371385 · doi:10.5021/ad.2013.25.4.405
What was done
Researchers measured serum zinc and copper concentrations in 312 patients diagnosed with hair loss (alopecia areata, male pattern hair loss, female pattern hair loss, or telogen effluvium) and 30 healthy controls evaluated at a single center between 2008 and 2011.
What was found
Mean serum zinc across all hair loss patients was significantly lower than in healthy controls (84.33 ± 22.88 µg/dl vs. 97.94 ± 21.05 µg/dl; p=0.002), with statistically lower zinc concentrations observed in all four hair loss subgroups. Serum copper showed no significant difference overall (96.44 ± 22.62 µg/dl; p=0.975) or across subgroups. Serum zinc concentration lower than 70 µg/dl was significantly more frequent in alopecia areata (OR 4.02; 95% CI 1.13 to 14.31) and telogen effluvium (OR 1.12; 95% CI 1.12 to 17.68).
Why it matters
This paper identifies a specific association between reduced circulating zinc and several clinical forms of hair loss, particularly alopecia areata and telogen effluvium, while copper levels remained unchanged.
Limits
The study is observational and cannot determine whether zinc deficiency causes hair loss or is a secondary marker. The healthy control cohort was small (n=30) compared to the patient cohort (n=312), and dietary intake, supplementation, and potential systemic confounders were not described in the abstract.
Cited by
- supports Patients with telogen effluvium without acrodermatitis enteropathica have significantly lower serum zinc levels than healthy individuals, and their hair loss can be restored with zinc supplementation.