Let’s talk about the dark side of zinc. Zinc is one of the most important trace minerals for your hair. But having too much zinc can be just as damaging to your hair as zinc deficiency.

Zinc is a trace mineral, and it’s involved in over 300 different enzymes. Zinc is needed to support the growth of hair follicles. With low zinc, you could experience hair loss.

Zinc is also needed for collagen and keratin. If you're deficient in zinc, you could notice thin and brittle hair.

Having too much zinc can lead to copper deficiency. The more zinc you take, the more copper you need. Copper is also involved in hair growth, hair color, and the structural integrity of the hair.

The most zinc an adult could take without experiencing any side effects is roughly about 40 mg per day.

Symptoms of zinc toxicity can include:

• Nausea

• Vomiting

• Decreased appetite

• Abdominal cramps

• Diarrhea

• Headaches

But, you may need even higher amounts of zinc short-term for certain health problems. The key is to make sure you always consume enough copper as well. The correct zinc-to-copper ratio is roughly ten to one.

It’s important to remember that when you consume foods high in zinc, your body only absorbs 20 to 40 percent of it. There are a lot of various things that decrease the absorption of zinc.

It’s important to avoid things that prevent the absorption of zinc and consume foods high in zinc. You may also want to consider a zinc supplement as well as make sure you're getting plenty of copper.