How Does Your Diet Affect Hair Loss?

Hair loss is a common condition known in the medical field as alopecia. Hair loss may occur due to many reasons such as genetic factors, hormonal irregularity, hypothyroidism, shaping the hair so tight that it pulls the roots, trauma, infection, chemotherapy. Hair loss can also be caused by dietary factors such as nutrient deficiencies and supplement use.

How Do Micronutrient Deficiencies Affect Hair Loss?

The hair consists of two main structures, the hair shaft and the hair follicle hidden under the skin. Your hair grows out of the hair follicle, typically 0.35 mm per day. The scalp sheds about 100 hairs a day, and shedding can increase with hair care treatments such as washing and brushing.

Hair follicles are very active and sensitive. In fact, hair follicle cells are among the fastest dividing cells in your body, so nutrient deficiencies are expected to negatively affect hair growth.

Iron deficiency

Iron deficiency is the most common nutrient deficiency in the world and can cause hair loss. This condition is a type of hair loss characterized by a disruption in the normal hair growth cycle and is related to a type of hair loss known as telogen effluvium (TE). Although it is not yet known exactly how iron deficiency affects hair loss, it is estimated that it prevents hair growth by directing iron stores in the hair follicle to the deprivation areas of the body.

Some studies have shown that people with hair loss tend to have lower levels of iron in their blood and hair compared to people without hair loss.

Vitamin D Deficiency

Vitamin D plays an important role in hair growth and the health of your hair follicles. Studies have shown that vitamin D levels are lower in people with hair loss conditions, including female pattern baldness and an autoimmune skin disease called alopecia areata. Taking vitamin D supplements is known to promote hair regrowth in some people with hair loss due to vitamin D deficiency.

Zinc Deficiency

Zinc is a mineral that plays important roles in immune function, protein synthesis, cell division and more. It is essential for the function of the hair follicle and helps protect against shrinkage and slow growth of the hair follicle. It also supports the healing of hair follicles.

Zinc deficiency can cause hair loss, and research shows that people with certain hair loss conditions tend to have lower zinc levels than people without hair loss.

Other Nutrients That May Affect Hair Loss

Studies have found that in addition to the vitamins and minerals listed above, deficiencies in the following nutrients are associated with hair loss:

• Copper
• biotin
• Vitamin B12
• Folate
• Riboflavin

Keep in mind that a number of factors can cause hair loss, including one or more nutrient deficiencies. If you think you are experiencing hair loss due to nutrient deficiency, it would be beneficial to see your doctor. If you are experiencing hair loss, you can get tested for deficiencies of iron, vitamin D, zinc, B vitamins, and copper.