Copper Bisglycinate 25 mcg Does Not Induce Hair Loss
Copper bisglycinate at 25 mcg (micrograms) does not cause hair loss; in fact, this dose is far below typical supplementation levels and is unlikely to have any significant effect on hair, positive or negative. The available evidence suggests that copper deficiency—not supplementation at physiologic doses—may be associated with hair problems, though even this relationship remains poorly established 1.
Evidence on Copper and Hair Loss
Copper's Role in Hair Biology
- Copper functions as a cofactor in the antioxidant enzyme copper/zinc superoxide dismutase, which theoretically could play a role in hair follicle health 1.
- Some researchers have speculated that a copper/zinc imbalance might contribute to alopecia pathogenesis through dysregulation of oxidant/antioxidant activity 1.
Clinical Studies Show No Clear Association
- Most studies examining copper levels in alopecia areata patients found no differences in serum copper levels compared to healthy controls 1.
- Only one small Iranian study of 27 patients found lower serum and hair copper levels in alopecia areata patients, but this finding was not replicated in multiple other investigations 1.
- A comprehensive 2017 review in the American Journal of Clinical Dermatology concluded that "the current paucity of studies of serum levels and supplementation in AA patients precludes any conclusions on their role in the development, progression, and treatment of AA" 1.
Context: Your Dose is Extremely Low
Dose Perspective
- 25 mcg (0.025 mg) is a trace amount—approximately 3% of the typical adult daily requirement for copper (900 mcg or 0.9 mg).
- This dose is far below levels used in any supplementation studies and represents a nutritional support dose rather than a therapeutic or potentially toxic dose.
- For comparison, zinc supplementation studies in hair loss used doses of 50-220 mg of zinc compounds daily—thousands of times higher on a molar basis than your copper dose 1.
Important Clinical Caveats
What Actually Causes Hair Loss Related to Trace Elements
- Deficiency states, not supplementation at physiologic doses, are associated with hair loss 1, 2.
- Iron deficiency (low ferritin) is the most common and well-established nutritional cause of chronic diffuse telogen hair loss 1, 2.
- Zinc deficiency can cause telogen effluvium and brittle hair, with lower serum zinc levels found in some alopecia areata and telogen effluvium patients 1, 3.
The Real Concern: Copper-Zinc Balance
- Excessive zinc supplementation can actually induce copper deficiency by competing for absorption 1.
- If you're taking high-dose zinc supplements (>50 mg daily) without copper, this could theoretically create problems—but your 25 mcg copper dose would not cause this issue 1.
When to Worry About Copper and Hair
- Copper toxicity from supplementation is extremely rare and would require doses hundreds of times higher than 25 mcg taken over extended periods.
- Wilson's disease (genetic copper accumulation disorder) can cause various symptoms, but hair loss is not a characteristic feature.
Bottom Line for Clinical Practice
Your 25 mcg copper bisglycinate supplement is not causing hair loss. If you're experiencing hair loss, the American Journal of Clinical Dermatology and CDC recommend evaluating for more common causes including iron deficiency (check ferritin), thyroid dysfunction (check TSH), vitamin D deficiency, and autoimmune conditions like alopecia areata 1, 2. The dose you're taking is nutritionally insignificant and poses no risk for inducing alopecia.