What Would Cause Low Zinc Hair Tests But Upper Normal Serum?

[GorillaHead]

Basically i want to know if anyone has an idea why zinc would be low in hair tests.

is this a low intracellular tissue problem?

transporter defect?

anything that upregulates tissue absorption once zinc is in serum. ?

 

[marcar72]

Diminished blood flow to the scalp??

 

[GorillaHead]

Diminished blood flow to the scalp??

I dont think that it. Scalp blood flow is greater than many many parts of the body even with those who have hairloss. Sure the blood flow is decreased when there is no hair but i believe thats a result of lack hair. Who knows but i am looking more and transporter protein or zinc uptake dysregulation

 

[schultz]

Low zinc in your shower water?

Admittedly I don't know much about the validity of hair tests, but Ray has mentioned that they are not accurate and are affected by exogenous forces. Hair will pick up minerals from the environment.

 

[GorillaHead]

Low zinc in your shower water?

Admittedly I don't know much about the validity of hair tests, but Ray has mentioned that they are not accurate and are affected by exogenous forces. Hair will pick up minerals from the environment.

I only ask this question because in two studies comparing androgenic alopecia hair follicles and controls, BOTH studies found that androgenic alopecia hairs had SIGNIFICANTLY lower levels of zinc in the hair tests.

i know zinc and b6 inhibit dht. I know in prostate cancer the severity of the cancer is correlated with a drop in tissue zinc levels.


So i am trying to understand what mechanisms can do this and i can study those mechanisms to find more of a cause

 

[lampofred]

This is completely a guess but maybe there is only a certain amount of minerals that hair can absorb and if there are high levels of other metals that aren't supposed to be there (like iron, aluminum, etc.), hair might have absorbed those metals instead, leaving no room for zinc.

 

[GorillaHead]

This is completely a guess but maybe there is only a certain amount of minerals that hair can absorb and if there are high levels of other metals that aren't supposed to be there (like iron, aluminum, etc.), hair might have absorbed those metals instead, leaving no room for zinc.

Hey thats a great guess and may very well be true. Ive seen studies where they were trying to chelate mercury and after they saw a dramatic rise in lead in the hair test that wasnt seen before.


@lampofred

check this out
Deficient Zinc Transport in Lungs Linked to COPD, Cystic Fibrosis...

They blame ions dysregulation affecting zinc transporters cause cystic fibrosis.


How would one even start at trying to fix or up-regulate zinc transporting genes. But i guess it would be better to understand how to stop the dysregulation in the first place. I mean i cant ignore this study Inhibition of 5 alpha-reductase activity in human skin by zinc and azelaic acid. - PubMed - NCBI


So if we blame ion channel problems we should look into what regulates them and causes problems with them.
This study remind me of how many women with pcos have found success with inositol
Phosphoinositides regulate ion channels

 

[GorillaHead]

Hey thats a great guess and may very well be true. Ive seen studies where they were trying to chelate mercury and after they saw a dramatic rise in lead in the hair test that wasnt seen before.


@lampofred

check this out
Deficient Zinc Transport in Lungs Linked to COPD, Cystic Fibrosis...

They blame ions affecting zinc transporters cause cystic fibrosis.


How would one even start at trying to fix or up-regulate zinc transporting genes. But i guess it would be better to understand how to stop the dysregulation in the first place. I mean i cant ignore this study Inhibition of 5 alpha-reductase activity in human skin by zinc and azelaic acid. - PubMed - NCBI

Lack of correct metals lead to specific metal deficiency which leads to hormone up regulation leading to fibrosis.

i really wish i had a lab.

 

[redsun]

I only ask this question because in two studies comparing androgenic alopecia hair follicles and controls, BOTH studies found that androgenic alopecia hairs had SIGNIFICANTLY lower levels of zinc in the hair tests.

i know zinc and b6 inhibit dht. I know in prostate cancer the severity of the cancer is correlated with a drop in tissue zinc levels.


So i am trying to understand what mechanisms can do this and i can study those mechanisms to find more of a cause

Complete guess but upper normal in serum may suggest that zinc isnt being utilized as much or you are just taking too many zinc supplements (if the individual is taking zinc). B6 is needed to properly utilize zinc and probably other nutrients.

Most people probably don't get enough B6 and zinc in the diet because most foods eaten in modern times are low in them and in time this can probably contribute to worse hair health and balding. B6 requirement raises the more protein you eat, and if your proteins are primarily or exclusively low B6 proteins (dairy, eggs, pork and ground meat seem to be low as well) B6 status suffers most likely.

B6 from plants needs multiple steps to go right for you to even have a chance of absorbing and using it so I don't personally consider B6 from plants in my intake. A good portion of B6 is can also be lost from cooking. Getting the RDA of zinc isnt that difficult but is the RDA enough is the question (can be said for a lot of nutrients).

 

[schultz]

I only ask this question because in two studies comparing androgenic alopecia hair follicles and controls, BOTH studies found that androgenic alopecia hairs had SIGNIFICANTLY lower levels of zinc in the hair tests.

i know zinc and b6 inhibit dht. I know in prostate cancer the severity of the cancer is correlated with a drop in tissue zinc levels.


So i am trying to understand what mechanisms can do this and i can study those mechanisms to find more of a cause

Oh that is very interesting actually. I'd like to read those papers if you still have the links handy.

This is completely a guess but maybe there is only a certain amount of minerals that hair can absorb and if there are high levels of other metals that aren't supposed to be there (like iron, aluminum, etc.), hair might have absorbed those metals instead, leaving no room for zinc.

This is a good theory.