Does Selenium and Zinc help med induced hair loss?

[javajane21]

I am on Lamictal 150 mg BiD and zonisamide 200 mgs. Hair loss has been progressing steadily.. Doc said I should take usual biotin, multivit, D3. Despite that hair loss has continued unabated. Now he says up the intake of Selenium and zinc. My question. Has taking these 2mineral supplements really helped anyone? I dont know if I will get my thick wavy hair back- that would be a godsend) but I will settle for not losing anymore hair...

[Nakamova]

H javajane21, welcome!

There a plenty of CWE members that have had problems with hair loss from anti-epileptic drugs (including myself). There doesn't seem to be any magic bullet. I was on Zonisamide and then switched to Lamictal. I didn't have hair loss with the Zonisamide (though I did have other issues with it). The hair loss started when I switched to the Lamictal. After a few months it more-or-less went back to normal. I don't know whether it was because my body adapted to the Lamictal, or because I reduced my dosage somewhat. I do take biotin, but I'm not sure how much it is helping my hair -- my nails seem to be in great shape, so maybe it's helping there.

I think the supplements only work if you are actually remedying a deficiency -- i.e, if you are low in zinc, then a zinc supplement will help. I can't figure out whether Lamictal causes a deficiency, or whether the hair loss results from some other way it messes with the system (like hormones). My guess is the latter.

[epileric]

I checked Pub med, The Cochrane Reviews & the Journal of American Medical Association and none of them had anything connecting Selenium or Zinc supplements to hair loss.

[Nakamova]

According to the Mayo Clinic, an overactive or underactive thyroid gland can lead to hair loss, so that may be something to have checked if you are showing any other thyroid related symptoms.

In 2002, Dr. DH Rushton, of the University of Portsmouth in the UK, wrote a comprehensive review article on hair loss, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1...?dopt=Abstract, a summary which follows:

Hair loss can be divided into two categories: Hair loss with skin shedding (also called "scaling") and hair loss without skin shedding. Hair loss with skin shedding is likely related to a skin disorder. In some cases, supplementation with the vitamin biotin (1 - 2 mg for 2 months) has helped. Essential fatty acids (omega 3s and/or omega 6s) might also help in hair loss caused by skin conditions.

There is a lack of objective data about hair loss without skin shedding. At one time, there was a widespread belief that zinc deficiency is a common cause. However, zinc supplementation has not been shown to improve hair loss, even when a deficiency is suspected. One area that seems clear is that iron deficiency (a low serum ferritin without anemia) is linked to hair loss in women. In one study, 72% of women with low iron stores (a serum ferritin less than 40 mcg/l) had reduced hair density.

The amino acid L-lysine plays a part in the absorption of iron and zinc. Among plant foods, L-lysine is only found in high amounts in legumes, and a vegan who doesn't eat many legumes could find themselves falling short on lysine. In some women, iron supplementation does not lead to an increase in iron stores. But in one study, adding L-lysine (at 1.5 - 2 g/day for 6 months) to iron supplementation in such women did increase iron stores and decreased hair loss by one half.

Dr. Rushton noted the following odds and ends:

-- In a multivitamin, if the level of zinc is equal to the level of iron, then iron uptake is significantly decreased. A ratio of 3 to 1, iron to zinc, is desirable to prevent competitive interference.
-- Excessive vitamin E supplementation (for example, 600 IU per day for 1 month) can adversely affect hair growth. In patients with hair loss who show high levels of folic acid (also known as folate), excessive folic acid supplementation should probably be discontinued.

-- Reducing the frequency of shampooing does not help preserve hair and can increase the fear of hair loss because a higher amount of hair will be lost all at once when it is washed.

[javajane21]

Thank you for all the research and posting the replies. I did get my hormones checked. They are fine. I had somewhat of an irondeficiency. So now I am on prenatal vitamins, 1000 mgs biotin, krill oil tablet.Thyroid is ok too. Dr. Rushton's abstract looks imteresting. i was going to start 100 mchg selenium and 50 mg zinc for a month to see if it helps since that is what the neurologist asked but now I mayneed to reconsider..