Lately, I have had so many people concerned about their hair loss. Did you know that hair loss isn't always hereditary? Hair loss affects more than half of women and men in America, and can be caused by a variety of different things. Poor nutrition, male-pattern baldness, side-effects of medication, chemicals, stress and diseases are the most common causes of hair loss. A common misconception is that men experience hair loss more than women. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, hair loss affects more than 30 million women in the United States. Nearly 30 percent of men and women will experience hair loss by the age of 30. Fifty percent will suffer hair loss by the age of 50. Vitamins and minerals can play a vital role in maintaining healthy hair, as well as preventing hair loss. The usual hair growth rate equates to a half of an inch per month, although there are variations among different population groups. Eating foods laden in hair-healthy vitamins as part of a balanced diet can help to reduce hair loss. I do always recommend consulting your physician when experiencing excessive hair loss, however vitamins should be considered.
Vitamin B-7: Biotin
Biotin is a mandatory compound for producing and maintaining thick and healthy hair. Generally, a deficiency in this vitamin causes dry, brittle hair that falls out if left untreated. In some situations, biotin can help treat baldness by reducing inflammation in scalp tissue and relieving irritated hair follicles that causes hair loss. Supplementing a diet with cabbage and cauliflower can deliver vital amounts of this vitamin to prevent and treat hair loss. The recommended daily allowance is 30 mg as part of a healthy diet for people over 19 years of age.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E helps to facilitate scalp oxygenation by improving blood circulation necessary for healthy hair growth. Vitamin E is also crucial in a properly functioning immune system, which can speed up the rate of hair loss if lowered. Eating food items rich in vitamin E such as avocado, olive oil and corn can help to improve the thickness of hair while also providing antioxidant value to prevent cellular damage. MedlinePlus affirms that regularly consuming vitamin E or even topically applying it can help protect hair from environmental agents such as pollutants. People over the age of 14 should consume 15 mg of vitamin E daily
Vitamin C: Ascorbic Acid
Vitamin C is among the most powerful antioxidants that are instrumental in protecting cells, specifically those on the scalp and skin, from free radical oxidative damage resulting from the environment or metabolic activity. The body requires adequate amounts of absorbic acid for building collagen--the structural compound that protects the hair from splitting or breaking. In 2004, a U.S National Institutes of Health study discovered that hair loss and thinning increased in mice who experienced collagen reduction. Eating a healthy variety of fruits and vegetables such as green bell peppers, oranges and turnip greens can provide abundant amounts of this compound for treating and preventing hair loss. Medline Plus recommends 90 mg of vitamin C for men and 75 mg for women each day.
Other Vitamins and Minerals
Vitamin A is essential to healthy hair. It helps to keep hair roots lubricated, which promotes healthy hair follicles. A word of caution, according to the National Institutes of Health, too much vitamin A can result in vitamin A toxicity (Hypervitaminosis A) which actually causes hair loss.
Taking an iron supplement may also help hair loss. A study appearing in the May issue of the "Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology," by Cleveland Clinic dermatologists, suggest that treating iron deficiency may restore hair growth. Doctor George Cotsarelis, director of the University of Pennsylvania Hair and Scalp Clinic, maintains that people taking iron supplements are more likely to regrow hair. Copper and zinc can also help prevent hair loss.
Taking an iron supplement may also help hair loss. A study appearing in the May issue of the "Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology," by Cleveland Clinic dermatologists, suggest that treating iron deficiency may restore hair growth. Doctor George Cotsarelis, director of the University of Pennsylvania Hair and Scalp Clinic, maintains that people taking iron supplements are more likely to regrow hair. Copper and zinc can also help prevent hair loss.
References
- Mayo Clinic: Hair Loss
- Medline Plus: Vitamin C
- National Institutes of Health: Progressive Hair Loss
- The Health Supplements Nutrition Guide: Biotin
- Holistic Online: Hair Loss Nutrition
- Livestrong.com
- eHow.com
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