Diet and Dietary Supplements

Sometimes an effective way to promote healthy hair growth is from the inside out. There are many vitamins, minerals and supplements that can be incorporated into your diet to help nourish your hair. But do not rely on supplements alone, they are not supposed to be taken as a “cure” for balding or thinning hair; rather they are a good complementary treatment to help provide optimal health for hair growth. Just like many other nutritional supplements, it takes about 4 – 8 weeks to notice a difference, so anticipate accordingly. Also, it is best to obtain these supplements through food first. A healthy, balanced and nutritious diet is key to not only having healthy hair but imperative for an overall healthy lifestyle.

In this day and age, numerous trend or fad diets have come and gone, and many have placed an emphasis on restrictions of certain types of foods, including protein and more popularly, carbohydrates.

Protein is a very important aspect in a nutritious diet. Protein that is eaten is then broken down into amino acids, which are used to construct new body tissues, including ones found in the hair, skin, hormones and more. An adequate amount of protein in your diet will definitely help support healthy hair growth. Lean meats, soy, legumes, grains, dairy, fish, eggs, poultry, nuts and seeds are all exceptional sources of protein.

Recently, there has been a trend in cutting out carbohydrates from people’s diets. Carbohydrates are not necessarily bad for you. They do help provide the energy for activity and body tissue and hair growth. Carbohydrates are also a good source of b-complex vitamins. Cereals, fruits, breads, veggies and pastas are sources of carbs. Try incorporating more nonrefined, natural carbs (such as whole grains, cereals, legumes, brown rice, potatoes, yams, fruits and veggies) and consume less overly refined carbs, such as sugar, white flour and breads

Iron: Along with your typical blood test, iron, total iron binding capacity (TIBC), transferring saturation and ferritin are also tests that women who are suffering from hair loss should consider getting. About 20% of women, 50% of women in pregnancy and about 30% of men have an iron deficiency. Having an iron deficiency not only poses a health problem, it is also a common cause of hair loss, typically telogen effluvium. Many women do not even realize that they could possibly anemic, until they perform this test.

A ferritin level of 70 is considered healthy for a woman, but usually a level of 100 is necessary for good hair growth.

Iron can be taken as tablet supplements, through red meat, dark meat of chicken or turkey, liver, green leafy veggies and dried fruits. Dairy, caffeine and calcium can decrease iron absorption, while vitamin C and L-lysine help your body absorb iron.

A word of caution, take iron supplements under the supervision of your medical doctor, as iron has a moderate to high potential for toxicity as iron excretion is slow and therefore can accumulate inside the body.