Could Copper Deficiency be the cause of Kinky Hair?

cocoberry10

Well-Known Member
Hi Ladies:

I was doing some hair research on copper and health, including hair and I found this article on copper that also discussed Menkes Syndrome (also known as Kinky hair disease or Menkes kinky hair syndrome). Apparently people with this disease usually have sparse, coarse, kinky hair that breaks easily.


ETA: My posting this has nothing to do with the disease, it is to inform you all of the benefits of copper, but I learned about the benefits from reading about the disease. Thanks to those who understood this!
http://www.cybernation.com/livingston/meltdown/morehair.php
Copper Causes Hair Loss

The metal copper controls hair growth and hair loss. Healthy tissue concentrations of copper lie between 1.7 and 3.5 milligrams. Everything else will cause hair loss. You can have too little copper (below 1.7 milligrams) or too much copper (above 3.5 milligrams) and the same thing will happen: kiss your hair good-bye.

Individuals metabolize copper at different rates, making copper toxicity or deficiency a personal affair. The slower your metabolic rate, the higher your copper retention, regardless of how copper gets into your system. The reverse is also true. If your metabolism works at mach speed, not much copper will accumulate, no matter the amount of copper you ingest.

Vegetarians have a greater ability to retain copper than non-vegetarians. If you don't eat meat and your hair is thinning, this could mean a simple solution to your problem.


From http://www.upmc.com/HealthManagement/ManagingYourHealth/HealthReference/Diseases/?chunkiid=22831

Babies with Menkes syndrome often exhibit the following physical characteristics:

Hair that is stubby, tangled, sparse, lacking in color, and easily broken
Chubby cheeks
Flattened bridge of the nose
Face lacking in expression


From Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menkes_disease
It is characterized by sparse and coarse hair, growth failure, and deterioration of the nervous system. Onset of Menkes syndrome typically begins during infancy. Signs and symptoms of this disorder include weak muscle tone (hypotonia), sagging facial features, seizures, mental retardation, and developmental delay. The patients have brittle hair and metaphyseal widening. In rare cases, symptoms begin later in childhood and are less severe. It is a X-linked recessive disorder, and is therefore considerably more common in males: females require two defective alleles to develop the disease.

Food Sources of Coper
BREADS, CEREALS, AND OTHER GRAIN PRODUCTS

Barley, cooked 2/3 cup ++

English muffin, whole-wheat 1 +

Muffin, bran 1 medium +

Pita bread, whole-wheat 1 small +

FRUITS

Prunes, dried, cooked, unsweetened 1/2 cup +

VEGETABLES

Beans, lima, cooked 1/2 cup +

Mushrooms, cooked 1/2 cup +

Potato, baked or boiled, with skin 1 medium +

Sweetpotato, baked or boiled 1 medium +

Tomato juice cocktail 3/4 cup +

Turnip greens, cooked 1/2 cup +

MEAT, POULTRY, FISH, AND ALTERNATES

Meat and Poultry

Liver, braised:

Beef or calf 3 ounces +++

Chicken or turkey 1/2 cup diced +

Fish and Seafood

Clams; steamed, boiled, or

canned; drained 3 ounces +

Crabmeat, steamed 3 ounces ++

Lobster, steamed or boiled 3 ounces +++

Oysters:

Baked, broiled, or steamed 3 ounces +++

Canned, undrained 3 ounces +++

Shrimp; broiled, steamed,

boiled, or canned; drained 3 ounces +

Dry Beans, Peas, and Lentils

Beans, black-eyed peas (cowpeas),

or soybeans, cooked 1/2 cup +

Lentils, cooked 1/2 cup +

Nuts and Seeds

Almonds or cashews,

roasted or dry-roasted 2 tablespoons +

Brazil nuts, english walnuts,

filberts (hazelnuts), pine

nuts (pignolias) 2 tablespoons +

Mixed nuts, dry-roasted 2 tablespoons +

Peanuts, roasted 2 tablespoons +

Pistachio nuts, unroasted 2 tablespoons +

Pumpkin or squash seeds,

hulled, roasted 2 tablespoons +

Sesame seeds 2 tablespoons +

Sunflower seeds, hulled;

roasted, dry-roasted, or

unroasted 2 tablespoons +

(1) A selected serving size contains -

+ 10-24 percent of the U.S. RDA for adults and children over 4 years of age

++ 25-39 percent of the U.S. RDA for adults and children over 4 years of age

+++ 40 percent or more of the U.S. RDA for adults and children over 4 years of age
 
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Interesting :yep:, i've never heard of anything like that before. ---so do you think our has less copper than other races


The only two things i've learned that make our so distinct is it has alot of curls, and it may be coarse.

The curls i've learned may be caused by the shape of our hair---which is flat, and i've read something about the shape of the folicle.

The coarseness i've read comes from our cuticles being naturally lifted (i've read that actually comes from the turns & bends)------from our cuticles being lifted then we experience porosity problems, and a rough texture, and light cant reflect as easily which makes it look dull sometimes
Then i read that oil cant travel as well down the hair shaft because of the naturl curls---which makes the hair look more dull, and also helps with our hair being dry because it cant hold the moisture in our hair, and also that our hair may be weak/fragile because of all the bends and how at every bend & turn the hair is more likely to break.

And i've also seen somehwere that our hair naturally has less sulfur---but i dont know how true that is.

I dont think anything is wrong with curly/kinky hair, and i dont think there is anything anyone can do about it....but i think the issue is more coarse hair, and *i think* coarse hair means dry feeling, rough/non smooth texture, and dull/no shine?
 
This is interesting. But I always thought that our hair is the way it is because it was supposed to protect our heads from the sun in Africa. And then as people migrated to other parts of the world and through evolution it changed for some groups of people as a means of adaptation to their environment.
 
The curls i've learned may be caused by the shape of our hair---which is flat, and i've read something about the shape of the folicle.

And i've also seen somehwere that our hair naturally has less sulfur---but i dont know how true that is.
I dont think anything is wrong with curly/kinky hair, and i dont think there is anything anyone can do about it....but i think the issue is more coarse hair, and *i think* coarse hair means dry feeling, rough/non smooth texture, and dull/no shine?

I've also heard that about sulfur (or the lack of it). That's why some ladies on here mention that their hair becomes "looser" when they use MSM or MTG. I agree with your comment about kinky hair, however, after reading the symptoms of Menkes Disease, I can't help but wonder if the copper(or lack of copper) in our bodies contributes. Many with very kinky hair complain of tangles and that once their hair dries, it gets very unmanageable. If we could maintain the softness of our hair (as it feels when freshly washed) throughout, even after it dries, I don't think one's hair texture would matter anymore!
 
This is interesting. But I always thought that our hair is the way it is because it was supposed to protect our heads from the sun in Africa. And then as people migrated to other parts of the world and through evolution it changed for some groups of people as a means of adaptation to their environment.

I've also heard this Bmore. Supposedly the coils somehow allowed the sweat to drip down easier (b/c it was so dry/tight, the hair supposedly didn't absorb the sweat), which then "dripped down" our necks/bodies and kept us cool in Africa. I'm not sure how true this is. Of course short, dry hair would make sense in a place that's hot and dry like Africa b/c we didn't need hair to keep us warm (as they would in places like Europe and Iceland). However, if heat alone was the issue, why do Indian people and Middle Easterners tend to have more silky locks (I know they all don't and I've met some that have very coily even kinky looking locks, but overall). Supposedly with them, it's b/c they kept their faces and bodies covered! Not sure how true this stuff is, but I am always interested in theories about hair while trying to master haircare:)
 
I've also heard this Bmore. Supposedly the coils somehow allowed the sweat to drip down easier (b/c it was so dry/tight, the hair supposedly didn't absorb the sweat), which then "dripped down" our necks/bodies and kept us cool in Africa. I'm not sure how true this is. Of course short, dry hair would make sense in a place that's hot and dry like Africa b/c we didn't need hair to keep us warm (as they would in places like Europe and Iceland). However, if heat alone was the issue, why do Indian people and Middle Easterners tend to have more silky locks (I know they all don't and I've met some that have very coily even kinky looking locks, but overall). Supposedly with them, it's b/c they kept their faces and bodies covered! Not sure how true this stuff is, but I am always interested in theories about hair while trying to master haircare:)

I don't think it gets as hot in India. I mean if you think about it, the closer to the Equator you are, the warmer it is. And India is further north than the equator. I mean obviously the whole continent of Africa isn't scorching hot but it's probably warmer than India. I wouldn't consider India a tropical climate.
 
Maybe this is referring to people who otherwise would not have kinky hair...since it's called a "disease" and is characterized by sparse hair that does not grow. Just a thought...


ETA - just read that this disease is also characterized by mental retardation. Umm, yeah - I doubt this has anything to do with genetically kinky or coily hair.
 
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Maybe this is referring to people who otherwise would not have kinky hair...since it's called a "disease" and is characterized by sparse hair that does not grow. Just a thought...


ETA - just read that this disease is also characterized by mental retardation. Umm, yeah - I doubt this has anything to do with genetically kinky or coily hair.
this is what I was thinking.
 
I'm extremely disturbed about the intent behind this posting.
To me, it seems like the OP is trying to establish that nappy Afro-textured hair is some kind of disorder that can be "cured" with proper vitamin supplementation. If that's what she thinks, then that's really sad. Black people's hair is kinky or nappy because of our DNA. We evolved with a genetic predisposition for tightly coiled hair to protect our scalps from the intense heat of the sub-Saharan sun.

You can't change your DNA, no matter how much you might want to.
 
Maybe this is referring to people who otherwise would not have kinky hair...since it's called a "disease" and is characterized by sparse hair that does not grow. Just a thought...


ETA - just read that this disease is also characterized by mental retardation. Umm, yeah - I doubt this has anything to do with genetically kinky or coily hair.

just to add, as a health professional this syndrome is seen in people with straighter hair types particularly caucasian, its totally different from genetically determined hair type.
while copper may help in softening coils it not going to change you from 4b into a 3b. my skin, hair and nail vitamins has copper, and am still a 4a not a 3a or 2a.
There nothing defective about our hair type, its just the way its suppose to be. Like someone said may be to protect from sun in africa who knows but hair type is determined by genetics.
 
Maybe this is referring to people who otherwise would not have kinky hair...since it's called a "disease" and is characterized by sparse hair that does not grow. Just a thought...


ETA - just read that this disease is also characterized by mental retardation. Umm, yeah - I doubt this has anything to do with genetically kinky or coily hair.

I agree with you, and I definitely didn't mean to insinuate that I think Black people have the "disease"! I don't think anything is wrong with our hair. I was really emphasizing the copper as a possible element that's missing in our hair. I'm not even sure if ingesting copper would help "soften" the hair, lubricate it, or reduce breakage, since our texture is due to genetics, but it was just something I thought was interesting. Just like some report that using sulfur products has improved the "texture" (less breakage) and growth rate of their hair!
 
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I'm extremely disturbed about the intent behind this posting.
To me, it seems like the OP is trying to establish that nappy Afro-textured hair is some kind of disorder that can be "cured" with proper vitamin supplementation. If that's what she thinks, then that's really sad. Black people's hair is kinky or nappy because of our DNA. We evolved with a genetic predisposition for tightly coiled hair to protect our scalps from the intense heat of the sub-Saharan sun.

You can't change your DNA, no matter how much you might want to
.

As the OP, I'm highly offended that you would ever insinuate that! I am making this post as an observation, just as people have mentioned that using supplements such as Biotin and sulfur have helped them with haircare and growth. Many women on this board have complained about dryness and breakage. Clearly, we cannot "change our texture," not even through relaxing.

Actually, if you look at the bottom of my signature, it says I am transitioning, so if I hated my hair that much, I doubt I'd be doing that!

This is the first time someone has literally attacked my thread. I'm going to PM you!
 
I came across information about this disease when doing a search for chemical and molecular structures of hair. When I specifically searched for difference in SULFUR content, I came across many articles citing this disease. It's very interesting that you came across COPPER differences as well.

The reason I was even looking for this was because I searched a long time ago for structural (at the molecular/chemical level)differences in the hair itself among the different hair types, and I came across an article that actually cited the percentages of chemicals/materials of different hair types. I can NOT find the article again. I am hoping I saved it at work! I am currently on maternity leave.

As far as the old argument about a hot climate being the cause for kinky hair, I am not sure that argument still has value. Parts of Asia are also very hot, and well you know their hair is not kinky. Regarding the East Indians and other peoples of Mediterranean descent, remember that East Indian is not really a 'race', and that these people and other middle Easterners are the result of long term mixing. East Indians, I've read, originally descended from a group of Africans. I imagine that over time they mixed with Asians, and then eventually Europeans, creating the look we think of as Indian, but you can still see more black looking E. Indians, or Asian looking E.Indians, or more white looking E. Indians. Just like latinos are a mixture of many.

I don't think that kinky hair is the result of a disease, but I have wondered, that aside from follicle shape differences, how is the hair different at a microscopic level? I do not think that all kinky hair is merely super curly straight hair, so that has led me to wonder about differences in things such as sulfur content etc., esp. after people reported softer new growth with the MSM. What do you think?
 
:Run: Just kidding! I really don't think the OP was insinuating that kinky hair is the result of a disease. I certainly didn't take it that way as I explained in my earlier post that I had wondered too about diffences in sulfur content....

I think that because the majority of the world has some form of straight hair including many black descendent or other black diaspora populations (think of West Indians, Ethiopians, Somalians, Aboriginees, Caribbeans, blacks of Mexico, Nicaragua, Costa Rica..... & a zillion others) that is normal to be curious about what makes type 4,5,6 :drunk: hair different. How, Why? It does not mean self-hair hatred, especially on this hair board where the whole point is to learn about, care for, appreciate and enjoy your hair no matter what the hair type or how you choose to wear it.:yep::love5:
 
:Run: Just kidding! I really don't think the OP was insinuating that kinky hair is the result of a disease. I certainly didn't take it that way as I explained in my earlier post that I had wondered too about diffences in sulfur content....

I think that because the majority of the world has some form of straight hair including many black descendent or other black diaspora populations (think of West Indians, Ethiopians, Somalians, Aboriginees, Caribbeans, blacks of Mexico, Nicaragua, Costa Rica..... & a zillion others) that is normal to be curious about what makes type 4,5,6 :drunk: hair different. How, Why? It does not mean self-hair hatred, especially on this hair board where the whole point is to learn about, care for, appreciate and enjoy your hair no matter what the hair type or how you choose to wear it.:yep::love5:

i agree with you dont think she is insinuating as well.
 
I came across information about this disease when doing a search for chemical and molecular structures of hair. When I specifically searched for difference in SULFUR content, I came across many articles citing this disease. It's very interesting that you came across COPPER differences as well.

The reason I was even looking for this was because I searched a long time ago for structural (at the molecular/chemical level)differences in the hair itself among the different hair types, and I came across an article that actually cited the percentages of chemicals/materials of different hair types. I can NOT find the article again. I am hoping I saved it at work! I am currently on maternity leave.

As far as the old argument about a hot climate being the cause for kinky hair, I am not sure that argument still has value. Parts of Asia are also very hot, and well you know their hair is not kinky. Regarding the East Indians and other peoples of Mediterranean descent, remember that East Indian is not really a 'race', and that these people and other middle Easterners are the result of long term mixing. East Indians, I've read, originally descended from a group of Africans. I imagine that over time they mixed with Asians, and then eventually Europeans, creating the look we think of as Indian, but you can still see more black looking E. Indians, or Asian looking E.Indians, or more white looking E. Indians. Just like latinos are a mixture of many.

I don't think that kinky hair is the result of a disease, but I have wondered, that aside from follicle shape differences, how is the hair different at a microscopic level? I do not think that all kinky hair is merely super curly straight hair, so that has led me to wonder about differences in things such as sulfur content etc., esp. after people reported softer new growth with the MSM. What do you think?

reyna, you may have a point here, there is a possiblility that straighter hair has higher sulphur content, hence the reason why some are experiencing looser curls with msm.
And am thinking as limited amout of sulphur can be absorbed at a time, this may explain the fact that even though one may get looser curls hair type cant be changed.
this is a good hypothesis to do a research on, will start searching tommorrow to see what i can find.
 
I agree with you, and I definitely didn't mean to insinuate that I think Black people have the "disease"! I don't think anything is wrong with our hair. I was really emphasizing the copper as a possible element that's missing in our hair. I'm not even sure if ingesting copper would help "soften" the hair, lubricate it, or reduce breakage, since our texture is due to genetics, but it was just something I thought was interesting. Just like some report that using sulfur products has improved the "texture" (less breakage) and growth rate of their hair!


Gotcha!!!! Now I understand the connection you were trying to make, but definitely didnt think that you were insinuating that our hair is a disease. Thanks for clarifying, though
 
Babies with Menkes syndrome often exhibit the following physical characteristics:

Hair that is stubby, tangled, sparse, lacking in color, and easily broken
I have kinky hair and my hair is very strong and growing. It tangles, but it is not stubby, sparse, lacking color, and it's not brittle or easily broken.

It is characterized by sparse and coarse hair, growth failure, and deterioration of the nervous system. Onset of Menkes syndrome typically begins during infancy. Signs and symptoms of this disorder include weak muscle tone (hypotonia), sagging facial features, seizures, mental retardation, and developmental delay. The patients have brittle hair and metaphyseal widening. In rare cases, symptoms begin later in childhood and are less severe. It is a X-linked recessive disorder, and is therefore considerably more common in males: females require two defective alleles to develop the disease.
I also do not have a deteriorating nervous system, weak muscle tone, sagging facial features, seizures, mental retardation, nor developmental delay.

And I agree with the posters who have said nothing is wrong with having kinky Afro-textured hair. It's not a disease nor is it caused by a deficiency. A copper deficiency is VERY serious. It's genetically determined and that's just how God let our hair grow out of our scalp.
 
Very thought provoking. I don't think that the OP was trying to say that black people have a disease. Furthermore, I don't even find it that touchy enough to get mad about.:nono:
 
:Run: Just kidding! I really don't think the OP was insinuating that kinky hair is the result of a disease. I certainly didn't take it that way as I explained in my earlier post that I had wondered too about diffences in sulfur content....

I think that because the majority of the world has some form of straight hair including many black descendent or other black diaspora populations (think of West Indians, Ethiopians, Somalians, Aboriginees, Caribbeans, blacks of Mexico, Nicaragua, Costa Rica..... & a zillion others) that is normal to be curious about what makes type 4,5,6 :drunk: hair different. How, Why? It does not mean self-hair hatred, especially on this hair board where the whole point is to learn about, care for, appreciate and enjoy your hair no matter what the hair type or how you choose to wear it.:yep::love5:

Thanks :kiss: I didn't think you thought that from your other post!
 
I have kinky hair and my hair is very strong and growing. It tangles, but it is not stubby, sparse, lacking color, and it's not brittle or easily broken.


I also do not have a deteriorating nervous system, weak muscle tone, sagging facial features, seizures, mental retardation, nor developmental delay.

And I agree with the posters who have said nothing is wrong with having kinky Afro-textured hair. It's not a disease nor is it caused by a deficiency. A copper deficiency is VERY serious. It's genetically determined and that's just how God let our hair grow out of our scalp.

Please read my other posts, I am not going to explain this anymore (and I'm not offended by your post)!
 
Maybe this is referring to people who otherwise would not have kinky hair...since it's called a "disease" and is characterized by sparse hair that does not grow. Just a thought...


ETA - just read that this disease is also characterized by mental retardation. Umm, yeah - I doubt this has anything to do with genetically kinky or coily hair.

Perhaps the article is not saying copper deficiency is the reason people genetically have coily hair but if you do have coily, curly hair that is extremely dry beyond your original genetics, then a copper deficiency in a person's diet may be the reason.:look:
 
reyna, you may have a point here, there is a possiblility that straighter hair has higher sulphur content, hence the reason why some are experiencing looser curls with msm.
And am thinking as limited amout of sulphur can be absorbed at a time, this may explain the fact that even though one may get looser curls hair type cant be changed.
this is a good hypothesis to do a research on, will start searching tommorrow to see what i can find.

I like your train of hypothesis...very interesting! Let us know what you find--I will continue to search as well. :grin:
 
:Run: Just kidding! I really don't think the OP was insinuating that kinky hair is the result of a disease. I certainly didn't take it that way as I explained in my earlier post that I had wondered too about diffences in sulfur content....

I think that because the majority of the world has some form of straight hair including many black descendent or other black diaspora populations (think of West Indians, Ethiopians, Somalians, Aboriginees, Caribbeans, blacks of Mexico, Nicaragua, Costa Rica..... & a zillion others) that is normal to be curious about what makes type 4,5,6 :drunk: hair different. How, Why? It does not mean self-hair hatred, especially on this hair board where the whole point is to learn about, care for, appreciate and enjoy your hair no matter what the hair type or how you choose to wear it.:yep::love5:


ITA!!!:yep::yep::yep:
 
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