Zinc and Hair Loss: What the Research Shows

Zinc is essential for the body, and it is often added to hair supplements. The research is mixed. People with hair loss have, on average, slightly lower zinc levels, but a very large study found the difference minor and not clinically significant. In alopecia areata, a small study found lower zinc linked to severity.

Here's what each study found.

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Key Takeaways

• In 23,975 patients, those with a hair loss diagnosis had a median zinc of 96 µg/dL against 99 in controls. The authors called the difference minor and without clinical significance, and suggested zinc not be tested routinely for hair loss.
• In 32 people with severe alopecia areata and 32 controls, zinc was lower in the alopecia areata group and correlated with severity.
• A systematic review of 49 articles said zinc is among the micronutrients that appear to play a role in androgenetic alopecia, but the evidence is not entirely consistent.
• Zinc supplements should be guided by a doctor.

What Is Zinc?

Zinc is a trace mineral involved in many body processes, including cell growth. Hair research looks at blood zinc levels and at supplements.

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Does Zinc Help Hair?

Not shown for people who are not deficient. Low zinc may be linked to some hair loss types, but studies disagree on how much it matters.

Using Zinc Sensibly

• Ask your doctor before taking zinc, particularly long term or with other supplements.
• Don't assume zinc is the cause. Hair loss has many causes.
• Get a diagnosis for ongoing or patchy hair loss.

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What The Research Shows

A Very Large Cross-Sectional Study

A retrospective study of 23,975 patients, including 2,279 (9.5%) with a hair loss diagnosis, compared zinc levels with a control group tested for other reasons. The median zinc was 96 µg/dL in the hair loss group against 99 µg/dL in controls (p < 0.001). The authors concluded the change was minor and lacked clinical significance, suggested zinc levels should not be obtained when investigating hair loss, and called for studies of zinc supplements (Liran et al., 2025).

Alopecia Areata

A study of 32 patients with severe alopecia areata and 32 matched healthy controls found significantly lower serum zinc in the alopecia areata group, and a negative correlation between zinc and disease severity. The authors called for randomized trials of zinc supplementation (Lalosevic et al., 2023). It was small and observational, so it can't show that low zinc causes alopecia areata.

Micronutrients And Androgenetic Alopecia

A systematic review of 49 articles on micronutrients and androgenetic alopecia concluded that vitamin B, vitamin D, iron and zinc appear to play critical roles in hair growth and maintenance, and that supplementation has shown potential benefits. It added that the current evidence is not entirely consistent, with some studies reporting no significant associations (Wang et al., 2024).

Oyster extract is a product people ask about alongside zinc; see oyster extract and hair.

Selenium is another trace mineral studied in hair loss; see selenium and hair.

See also: Iron Deficiency and Hair Loss: What the Research Shows

To see how this fits with the other nutrients hair needs, read our guide to the best vitamins for hair growth.

Zinc is one of the ingredients in FullyVital's Hair Revival Supplements. For how the evidence for each ingredient in the line stacks up, see our evidence-tier breakdown.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does zinc deficiency cause hair loss?

Studies are mixed. A large study found a minor difference in zinc levels, and a small one found lower zinc linked to alopecia areata severity.

Should I take zinc for hair loss?

Ask your doctor. The evidence for supplements in people who aren't deficient is limited.

Should I get my zinc level tested?

The large study suggested not routinely. A doctor can decide.

References

1. Liran O, Vered S, Cohen B, et al. Hair Loss and Zinc Deficiency: A Cross-Sectional Study. Healthcare (Basel). 2025. PubMed
2. Lalosevic J, Gajic-Veljic M, Lalosevic Misovic J, et al. Serum Zinc Concentration in Patients with Alopecia Areata. Acta Derm Venereol. 2023. PubMed
3. Wang R, Lin J, Liu Q, et al. Micronutrients and Androgenetic Alopecia: A Systematic Review. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2024. PubMed