Serum Iron, Zinc, and Copper Concentration in Premature Graying of Hair

October 2011 in “ Biological trace element research ”

Farahnaz Fatemi Naieni, Bahareh Ebrahimi, Hamid Reza Vakilian, Zabihollah Shahmoradi

serum iron serum zinc serum copper premature graying of hair

Studysummary This study observed that lower serum copper levels may be linked to premature hair graying in young patients compared to controls. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.

The study examined serum iron, copper, and zinc levels in 66 patients under 20 with premature graying of hair, compared to 66 matched controls. It found that patients had significantly lower serum copper (90.7 ± 37.4 μg/dL) and higher serum iron (108.3 ± 48.4 μg/dL) than controls, with no significant difference in zinc levels. The results suggested that low serum copper might contribute to premature graying, indicating a need for further research on the mechanisms involved.

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