Hair Changes Due to Zinc Deficiency in a Case of Sucrose Malabsorption

A 36-year-old man with androgenetic alopecia suspects copper and zinc deficiencies may be accelerating hair loss and is supplementing copper to address this. He is also monitoring blood sugar levels due to previous prediabetes concerns and plans to test for insulin resistance.

The conversation is about a user planning to start minoxidil treatment and considering increasing zinc intake to improve testosterone and libido. They are concerned about potential hair loss due to increased testosterone and are advised to consider magnesium supplementation and the effects of DHT if not on finasteride or dutasteride.

Zinc supplements may slightly increase DHT by affecting testosterone conversion, but are generally beneficial for health. A 15mg Zinc to 1mg Copper ratio is recommended.

Zinc supplementation caused significant hair shedding for the user, who had been successfully managing hair loss with finasteride, minoxidil, RU58841, and microneedling. The user discontinued zinc after noticing no libido increase and believes the hair loss was due to zinc's interaction with other minerals or hormonal changes.

Taking zinc and copper may offset copper depletion and potentially aid hair health when used with finasteride. The user is considering whether to use these supplements alongside finasteride or wait until switching to dutasteride.

The user is experiencing severe hair loss due to gut malabsorption and is seeking advice on nutrient testing and supplementation. They have low Vitamin D and Ferritin levels and are asking for recommendations on additional nutrients and blood tests to consider.