Hair loss can have many causes e.g poor nutrition, genes, hormones, age, certain medications, stress, rapid weight loss and some medical conditions.
Today I will address the nutritional part.
Defficiencies that can lead to hair loss:
Vitamin A - this vitamin is imperative for the growth and health of all cells and tissues, including the hair and scalp. Vitamin A also is necessary for sebum production, which keeps hair moisturized. To make sure you get enough Vitamin A in your diet pick yellow and orange colored produce and plenty of dark green leafy vegetables. It is also found in animal products like milk and eggs and liver. Please remember moderation because too much Vitamin A can also cause hair loss.
Vitamin B6, folic acid, and Vitamin B12. These vitamins are important for proper formation of red blood cells, which carry oxygen to the tissues, including the hair. Vitamin B6 is highest in fish, liver, pork and eggs but it is also in wheat germ, and cooked and dried beans and peas. It is also found in soybeans, oats, peanuts, green leafy vegetables, bananas, avocados and cauliflower. Vitamin B12 is found only in animal products. Folic acid is also found in green leafy vegetables and brewer's yeast, fortified cereals and citrus fruit (especially OJ) beets, broccoli and whole grains and tomatoes.
Vitamin C - Deficiency of this vitamin leads to hair breakage, because Vitamin C is necessary for collagen production. Like Vitamin A, Vitamin C is also necessary for sebum production. Vitamin C is found in citrus fruits, berries, peppers, dark green leafy vegetables, broccoli , cabbage and sweet potatoes and tomatoes.
Iron carries the oxygen in the haemoglobin of the red blood cells. Hair loss is a classic symptom of iron deficiency - anaemia. The best source of iron is heme iron, which is only found in meat. Non-heme iron is not absorbed that well. Non-heme iron is found in spinach, dried fruits, beans and bran. Note: Vitamin C helps in the absorption of iron, so squeeze lemon on your spinach!
Zinc - this mineral promotes cell reproduction, as well as tissue growth and repair. It also is important for the maintenance of oil-secreting glands attached to the hair follicle. Zinc deficiency can lead to hair shedding. Zinc is found in some meats, eggs, milk, nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains. Too much zinc can also lead to hair loss so it is best to get enough zinc from foods, rather than over taking it in supplements.
Protein - People who do not eat enough protein will have dry and brittle hair. Protein is found in many foods, including meat,seafood, dairy foods, soy, beans, seeds and nuts.
Foods to stay away from:
Foods that may lead to damaged hair are:
- Dairy
One of the top healthy hair tips that we’ve all heard is that milk proteins work substantially well when it comes to preserving hair health. A lot of professionals agree on this point, and we aren’t trying to negate them.
However, it must be noted that dairy contains a certain amount of fat in it. What fat basically does is, it increases the testosterone levels in your body. High glycaemic foods increase testosterone secretion. This is one of the many hairs fall reasons that has troubled quite a few people around the world.
Additionally, if you are prone to dandruff, eczema, or psoriasis, then dairy products tend to exacerbate this problem. This, in turn, causes hair fall.
- Sugar
No matter how much we talk about the importance of reducing sugar intake, it doesn’t seem to go down. So, here we are, talking about how sugar causes hair fall.
Sugar causes you to have poor blood circulation. Once your circulation is affected, it becomes difficult for your blood to reach all the way up to your hair follicles. Another problem that arises is that the nutrients that circulate in your b
lood, which means that the nutrients don’t reach the hair follicles properly.
Some people, due to excess sugar intake, also experience what is known as ‘scalp inflammation’. As opposed to the burning sensation, scalp inflammation leads to you having a very cold scalp caused due to poor blood circulation. This, again, leads to damaged hair.
Sugar also tends to raise testosterone in your blood, which is also one of the major reasons for hair fall in the world. So, if you ask, ‘how to control hair fall?’ the answer is to try and reduce sugar from your diet.
- Refined Carbs
Probably the best-tasting food ever, these refined carbohydrate, unfortunately, are one of the many causes of hair fall. Food including breads, cakes, pastas, pizzas, and other refined carbs block your defences against stress. So, if you are already facing stress-induced hair fall, these foods aren’t doing you any Favors.
Moreover, these turn into sugar once you consume them. And well, we’ve already discussed what sugar does to your hair.
- Nuts
You are probably wondering how nuts are damaging to your hair. After all, they are high in protein and healthy fats, which is basically what your hair needs anyway, right? Well, it’s more than that.
Some people are extremely allergic to nuts and experience a reaction as soon as they consume nuts. But that’s not the case with everyone. Some people are only mildly allergic to nuts. What that means is that they have a rather delayed reaction to these nuts. Often, this translates into a receding hairline. So, it’s probably a good idea to get tested for any such allergies.
Most nuts also contain selenium, which while required in traces, can become one of the causes of hair fall if consumed in large quantities. One nut you should be aware of, that consists of high quantities of selenium, is the Brazil nut.
- Swordfish
Being seafood, swordfish is definitely a great source of protein. However, it is also one of the richest fishes when it comes to mercury. And here’s the catch – mercury is one of the top hairs fall reasons!
So, what really happens is that mercury interacts with the other mineral traces in our body. The main metal you should be worried about is zinc. Let’s just say that mercury and zinc don’t like each other very much, which leads to a zinc deficiency. As zinc promotes hair growth, its deficiency can cause thinning of hair and hair fall problems.
Some other fishes that are rich in mercury, that you should beware of, are Mackerel and Tuna.
- Greasy Food
We all love the grease, don’t we? The texture it adds to our food basically warrants the ‘yummy’ tag. But here’s the problem. Greasy food is, well, greasy. Ever heard the saying ‘you are what you eat’? Exactly our point.
As you probably know, the scalp releases an oily substance called the ‘sebum’. This sebum provides moisture to the skin on your scalp as well as to your hair. However, when you load your body with grease, this sebum also tends to get greasy. This causes your hair to look a bit too greasy and limp. But more than this is happening.
With the grease covering your hair follicle, it becomes difficult for your hair to grow, which turns out to be one of the many hair fall reasons. To avoid oily hair, indulge in regular cleansing regime of scalp and hair; our Bentonite Detox Shampoo deep cleanses scalp as well as hair.
- Carbonated Drinks
How many parties do you remember that didn’t have carbonated drinks’ options? What we perceive as fun, these drinks are quite harmful for health.
What carbonated drinks basically do is that they interact with the insulin in your blood and make it less responsive to sugar. This leads to an increase in the sugar in your bloodstream, which later goes on to hamper your blood circulation and lower the nutrient supply to your hair follicles; causing hair loss. It is because of this property of carbonated drinks that it is considered to be damaging to hair.
Alcohol
Probably the chief ingredient of every party ever, alcohol is not very hair friendly. On a very basic level, alcohol dehydrates your hair. Once your hair doesn’t have as much moisture as it requires, it becomes brittle, leading to damaged hair.
Another problem with alcohol is that it diminishes the zinc levels in your body. As we have established earlier, zinc is a pretty important mineral when it comes to hair growth and hair volume.
Hopefully after evaluating your daily intake, you can add the suggested foods to your diet and with time, see some results and have a healthier head of hair.