Zinc for Alopecia Areata

Based on 60 studies (3 meta-analyses, 1 RCT) with 23,876 total participants. Results are mixed across studies.

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The Bottom Line

While people with alopecia areata often have lower zinc levels, research is mixed on whether zinc supplementation helps — it may support overall immune health but is not a reliable solution for alopecia areata.

Lower zinc levels are consistently found in alopecia areata patients
Supplementation studies show inconsistent results for hair regrowth
Zinc plays a role in immune function, which is relevant to autoimmune hair loss
No large-scale RCT specifically tests zinc supplementation for alopecia areata

Key Study Findings

Review

Eyebrow Madarosis: An Updated Review of the Etiology and Management, Part I - Nonscarring Disorders.

Dose: None vs: None Outcome: None Effect: None None

Population: review of nonscarring eyebrow alopecia etiologies and management (1960-2025)

Review

The role of trace elements for the function and health of the skin.

Dose: None vs: Placebo Effect: None None

Meta-Analysis n=4931

Association Between Serum Trace Elements Level and Alopecia Areata: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Dose: None vs: Placebo Effect: SMD=-0.93 (vitamin D); SMD=-0.69 (zinc); OR=2.48 (vitamin D deficiency risk) p<0.05

Review

Minerals and Trace Elements: Key Protectors of Skin Health and Defenders against Skin Disorders.

Dose: None vs: Placebo Effect: None None

Animal Study n=36

Associations between ionomic profile and metabolic abnormalities in a murine model of sodium sulfide induced …

Dose: Tofacitinib 1 mg/kg vs: Placebo Effect: Differential metabolites and ions identified via OPLS-DA; Mg2+ correlated with CD8+ T cell modulatio None

Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis n=7014

Trace Elements and Risk of Immune-Mediated Skin Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Dose: None vs: Placebo Effect: Standardized mean differences reported for each element and disease combination (specific values not None

Key Statistics

Studies

23876

Participants

↔

Mixed

Grade

Referenced Papers

Eyebrow Madarosis: An Updated Review of the Etiology and Management, Part I - Nonscarring Disorders. Review

Journal of drugs … 2026

Minerals and Trace Elements: Key Protectors of Skin Health and Defenders against Skin Disorders. Review

Current medicinal chemistry 2025 5 citations

Association Between Serum Trace Elements Level and Alopecia Areata: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Meta-Analysis

Journal of cosmetic … 2025 5 citations

The role of trace elements for the function and health of the skin. Review

Journal of trace … 2025 4 citations

IKZF1 and Ikaros Overexpression Results in Alopecia Areata-Like Phenotype in Mice. Other

Experimental dermatology 2025 2 citations

Investigation of ischaemia-modified albumin and antioxidant vitamins and minerals levels in alopecia areata patients and evaluation of their relationship with … Other

Cutaneous and ocular … 2025 1 citations

Trace Elements and Risk of Immune-Mediated Skin Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Meta-Analysis

Nutrition reviews 2025

Associations between ionomic profile and metabolic abnormalities in a murine model of sodium sulfide induced alopecia areata. Other

Frontiers in pharmacology 2025

A comprehensive investigation of biochemical status in patients with telogen effluvium: Analysis of Hb, ferritin, vitamin B12, vitamin D, thyroid … Other

Journal of cosmetic … 2024 7 citations

Role of zinc in chronic telogen effluvium in serum and hair of patients with alopecia. Other

JPMA. The Journal … 2024 2 citations

Association analysis of the IKZF4 gene with Alopecia Areata in the Chinese Han population. Other

Alternative therapies in … 2024 1 citations

Zinc Status in Kurdish Adults With Hair Loss. Other

Cureus 2024 1 citations

Serum Zinc Concentration in Patients with Alopecia Areata. Other

Acta dermato-venereologica 2023 11 citations

"Shedding" low yield testing for telogen effluvium: A cross-sectional study of 16,381 laboratory results from newly diagnosed patients. Other

Journal of the … 2023 5 citations

Clinical study on the efficacy and tolerability of an oral supplement based on arginine, l-cystine, zinc and B6 vitamin (Cystiphane®) … Other

Italian journal of … 2023 4 citations

Inverse correlation between vitamin D and CRP levels in alopecia areata: A pilot study. Other

Journal of cosmetic … 2023 4 citations

Oral supplementation in female telogen effluvium: a clinical and instrumental objective evidence of efficacy and tolerability of new oral cosmetic … Other

Italian journal of … 2023 3 citations

Telogen effluvium in daily practice: Patient characteristics, laboratory parameters, and treatment modalities of 3028 patients with telogen effluvium. Other

Journal of cosmetic … 2022 22 citations

Possible relationship between poor skin disorders prognosis and serum zinc level: A narrative review. Other

Dermatology reports 2022 4 citations

Histone deacetylase 1 in patients with alopecia areata and acne vulgaris: An epigenetic alteration. Other

The Australasian journal … 2022 4 citations

A new combination of molecules for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia and telogen effluvium: a double-blind randomized, monocentric, placebo-controlled study. RCT

Italian journal of … 2022 2 citations

Association Between Vitamin D and Zinc Levels With Alopecia Areata Phenotypes at a Tertiary Care Center. Other

Cureus 2021 7 citations

Ginger (Zingiber officinale (L.) Rosc) improves oxidative stress and trace elements status in patients with alopecia areata. Other

Nigerian journal of … 2020 15 citations

Alopecia Areata and Toxic Metals. Other

Skin appendage disorders 2020 10 citations

Combined Diet and Supplementation Therapy Resolves Alopecia Areata in a Paediatric Patient: A Case Study. Case Report

Cureus 2020 5 citations

A Matched Case-Control Study of Zinc Levels in Androgenetic Alopecia and Alopecia Areata: Is There a Need to Do Routine … Other

Skinmed 2020

Systemic treatments for alopecia areata: A systematic review. Systematic Review

The Australasian journal … 2019 51 citations

Alopecia Areata Different View; Heavy Metals. Other

Indian journal of … 2019 10 citations

The Role of Micronutrients in Alopecia Areata: A Review. Review

American journal of … 2017 104 citations

Changes of serum trace elements level in patients with alopecia areata: A meta-analysis. Meta-Analysis

The Journal of … 2017 31 citations

Zinc and skin biology. Review

Archives of biochemistry … 2016 124 citations

Evaluation of serum zinc level in patients with newly diagnosed and resistant alopecia areata. Other

International journal of … 2016 57 citations

Nutrition and skin: Kids are not just little people. Review

Clinics in dermatology 2016 19 citations

Trichotillomania: Bizzare Patern of Hair Loss at 11-Year-old Girl. Case Report

Acta dermatovenerologica Croatica … 2016 6 citations

A Study of Plasma Zinc Levels in Thais with Alopecia Areata. Other

Journal of the … 2016 4 citations

Combination therapy with zinc gluconate and PUVA for alopecia areata totalis: an adjunctive but crucial role of zinc supplementation. Case Report

Dermatologic therapy 2015 17 citations

Comparison of zn, cu, and fe content in hair and serum in alopecia areata patients with normal group. Other

Dermatology research and … 2014 32 citations

Analysis of serum zinc and copper concentrations in hair loss. Other

Annals of dermatology 2013 114 citations

Hair loss in children: common and uncommon causes; clinical and epidemiological study in jordan. Other

International journal of … 2013 37 citations

Genome-wide association study in alopecia areata implicates both innate and adaptive immunity. Other

Nature 2010 756 citations

The therapeutic effect and the changed serum zinc level after zinc supplementation in alopecia areata patients who had a low … Other

Annals of dermatology 2009 86 citations

Trace element levels in alopecia areata. Other

Indian journal of … 2009 79 citations

The diagnosis and treatment of iron deficiency and its potential relationship to hair loss. Review

Journal of the … 2006 255 citations

Autoimmune polyendocrinopathy-candidiasis-ectodermal dystrophy syndrome: time to review diagnostic criteria? Case Report

The Journal of … 2003 87 citations

Nonsynchronized segmented heterochromia in black scalp hair. Case Report

Clinical and experimental … 2003 6 citations

Role of the autoimmune regulator (AIRE) gene in alopecia areata: strong association of a potentially functional AIRE polymorphism with alopecia … Other

Tissue antigens 2002 81 citations

Zinc aspartate, biotin, and clobetasol propionate in the treatment of alopecia areata in childhood. CCT

Pediatric dermatology 1999 32 citations

[The Cronkhite-Canada Syndrome. A rare differential diagnosis of generalized gastrointestinal polyposis]. Case Report

Deutsche medizinische Wochenschrift … 1997 7 citations

Analyses of serum copper and zinc levels and copper/zinc ratios in skin diseases. Other

The Journal of … 1993 58 citations

[Study of the zinc content of hair and serum in selected skin diseases]. Other

Annales Universitatis Mariae … 1990

[Selective changes in lymphocytic differentiation antigens in the peripheral blood of patients with alopecia areata treated with oral zinc]. Other

Zeitschrift fur Hautkrankheiten 1990

Juvenile versus maturity-onset alopecia areata--a comparative retrospective clinical study. Other

Clinical and experimental … 1989 140 citations

[Zinc--a new therapeutic principle in dermatology?]. Review

Zeitschrift fur Hautkrankheiten 1987 3 citations

[Zinc and its status in some dermatologic diseases--a statistical assessment]. Other

Zeitschrift fur Hautkrankheiten 1987

Element concentrations in serum, erythrocytes, hair and urine of alopecia patients. Other

Acta dermato-venereologica 1986 53 citations

[Zinc determination in alopecia areata]. Other

Giornale italiano di … 1986

[Complex treatment of alopecia with preparations of zinc and copper]. Other

Vestnik dermatologii i … 1986

[Zinc therapy of alopecia areata]. Other

Dermatologische Monatschrift 1984 3 citations

[Zinc and copper metabolism in patients with alopecia areata]. Other

Vestnik dermatologii i … 1984

[Treatment of alopecia areata totalis and maligna with Solvezink (author's transl)]. Other

Zeitschrift fur Hautkrankheiten 1982 2 citations

Oral zinc sulphate in alopacia areata-a double blind trial. CCT

The British journal … 1981 58 citations

[Use of zinc preparations in children with disseminated forms of alopecia areata]. Other

Vestnik dermatologii i … 1980

[Treatment of alopecia areata with zinc sulfate]. Case Report

Zeitschrift fur Hautkrankheiten 1980

[Zinc and the hair; a review of the research results published in the latest literature]. Review

Zeitschrift fur Hautkrankheiten 1979

[Zinc sulfate in the treatment of alopecia areata]. Case Report

Przeglad dermatologiczny 1978 4 citations

Morphologic and autoradiographic observations on the effect of zinc deficiency on endochondral growth sites in the white rat. Other

Odontologisk revy 1970 8 citations

CORRELATION OF ANTI-O-STREPTOLYSIN AND ANTIHYALURONIDASE WITH THE COPPER AND ZINC CONTENT IN THE BLOOD OF PATIENTS WITH ALOPECIA AREATA AND … Other

Vestnik dermatologii i … 1964

Dosage & Usage

mg = milligrams · mcg = micrograms (1,000× smaller) · IU = International Units

Commonly Used Dosages

general:: 8-11 mg/day
hairloss:: 15-30 mg/day

Upper limit: 40 mg/day

Dosages Studied in Research

Dosage	Duration	Effect	N
None	--	Neutral	--
None	--	Mixed	--
None	--	Negative	4931
None	--	Positive	--
Tofacitinib 1 mg/kg	--	Positive	36
None	--	Mixed	7014
None	--	Neutral	30
Corticosteroid injections (dose not specified) in transgenic mice	--	Positive	--

Best taken: With meals to minimize stomach upset; separate from iron and calcium by 2 hours

Safety & Side Effects

Reported Side Effects

⚠ Nausea and vomiting (especially on an empty stomach)
⚠ Metallic taste in the mouth
⚠ Copper depletion with chronic high-dose use
⚠ Headache and diarrhea

Known Interactions

● Copper supplements (zinc inhibits copper absorption at doses >40 mg/day)
● Tetracycline and quinolone antibiotics (mutual absorption reduction)
● Penicillamine (zinc reduces absorption of this rheumatoid arthritis drug)

Tolerable upper intake: 40 mg/day

Always consult your healthcare provider before starting any supplement.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Zinc help with Alopecia Areata?

Based on 60 studies with 23,876 participants, there is insufficient evidence at this time that Zinc may support Alopecia Areata management. Our evidence grade is F (Evidence Against).

How much Zinc should I take for Alopecia Areata?

Studies have used various dosages. A commonly studied range is 8-11 mg/day. Always consult your healthcare provider before starting any supplement regimen.

Are there side effects of Zinc?

Reported side effects may include Nausea and vomiting (especially on an empty stomach), Metallic taste in the mouth, Copper depletion with chronic high-dose use, Headache and diarrhea. Most side effects are mild and dose-dependent. Consult your doctor if you experience any adverse reactions.

How strong is the evidence for Zinc and Alopecia Areata?

We rate the evidence as Grade F (Evidence Against). This rating is based on 60 peer-reviewed studies with 23,876 total participants. The overall direction of effect is mixed.

Related Evidence

Other ingredients for Alopecia Areata

Minoxidil A Vitamin D A PRP Therapy A Microneedling A Black Seed Oil A Ginseng C

Zinc for other conditions

Androgenetic Alopecia A Telogen Effluvium F

Quick Verdict

Based on 60 studies (3 meta-analyses, 1 RCT) with 23,876 total participants. Results are mixed across studies.

Evidence Strength10%

Low confidence

Study Breakdown

RCT (1)Meta (3)Other (56)

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FDA Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The products and information on this website are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The evidence grades presented are based on our analysis of published peer-reviewed research and do not constitute medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before starting any supplement regimen.