Trace Elements in Human Hair: Variation in Iron, Copper, and Zinc by Age and Sex

    March 1963 in “ Sangyo Igaku ”
    M. Ishizawa, Atsushi Sakai, Yukio Morikawa, Masanori Kuratsune
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    TLDR Women generally have higher levels of iron, copper, and zinc in their hair than men, with differences increasing with age.
    The study examined the variation in the contents of iron (Fe), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) in human hair across different ages and sexes, involving approximately 300 individuals aged 5 to 80 years. It was found that women generally have higher levels of these trace elements in their hair compared to men, with Fe levels in women being about twice as high as in men. Zn levels were notably higher than Fe and Cu in hair, which is unusual compared to other body tissues. The study also observed that the sex difference in trace element content is minimal in children aged 5-9, becomes more pronounced in adults, and in older age, Zn remains high while Fe and Cu tend to decrease in men. There is significant individual variation, especially in women, regarding Fe content.
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