July 30 2008, 12:36 pm PT | Posted in: Hair Loss Causes
Hello. I have heard conflicting things about zinc supplements in regard to hairloss. Can an increased amount of zinc actually cause more hair loss? If so, what amount would be beneficial?
Currently I am taking about 41mg/day of zinc in supplement form (11 from a multi-v and 30 from optizinc [monomethionine] which also has 300mcg copper to offset). Is this too much or is it low enough not to be a detriment to my hair?
Thanks!
I do not keep up to date on supplements and dosing because the studies have little scientific base. Take everything in moderation and always clear this with your primary care doctor, because I don’t know the reason why you are taking these supplements or that if you even need to be taking supplements. There are some reports that zinc in high doses can cause hair loss, but it is not clear that the websites that report this have valid studies behind the reports.
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Hi,
The information on the web is very conflicting even for someone like me who is a Nurse Practitioner. I do not believe that there is a specific dose of Zinc that is right for every person. I discovered what works best for me by documenting everything in a health diary.
I am having a positive experience with zinc. I suffered with alopeica areata intermittently for over 20 years. Nothing seemed to work until I started taking Zinc to promote wound healing after I had major surgery last December. I noticed that my hair and nails grew very well during the four weeks I took it. I started losing hair again within two weeks of stopping the supplements. My stylist noticed the problem too. I again tried multiple strategies but nothing worked. I took 15 mg per day for another four weeks then stopped again. My hair loss decreased while I was on 15 mg per day but I still noticed breakage from the ends. I started losing hair from my scalp and other parts of my body within two weeks of stopping Zinc the second time. I looked back in the health journal that I’ve been keeping over the past year and noticed that my hair starting falling out every time I tried to stop taking the zinc. I’ve been back on 30 mg per day for eight weeks now and my hair is growing extremely well!
You did not mention your gender. There are many causes of hair loss, and they may vary based on one’s gender. Consider keeping a health diary too and record what’s going on with your life, your diet, supplements you take, etc. and how those factors impact your hair loss. That may help you uncover what’s causing your hair loss.
Do talk with your health care provider about this problem to rule out common causes of hair loss. I had iron deficiency too that was part of my hair loss problem.
Good luck,
womenshealthadvocate