Can nutritional Deficiency Cause Hair Loss?

Are you worried about sudden and massive hair loss? Is losing hair lowering your self-esteem? If yes, this blog is a must-read for you. Hair loss is the result of several factors such as medications, poor diet, hormones, illness and even over-styling the hair. 

All of these causes can interfere with your hair growth cycle and prevent hair follicles from growing new hair. On average, we lose about 100 strands a day and our hair grows ½ inch a month. However, extreme hair loss and slow hair growth require immediate medical attention from a trusted hair regeneration clinic like Trichohom. 

Men can develop bald patches on the top of their heads when extreme hair loss ensues and women may experience thinning of hair and widening of the top of the head. About 50% of people experience hair loss by the age of 50 years.

What is nutritional deficiency?

Nutritional deficiency occurs when the body is devoid of sufficient nutrients such as vitamins and minerals. A number of conditions lead to nutritional deficiency like anemia and the body requires vitamins to stay healthy as well as function properly. 

While vitamins and minerals can be sourced from the food we consume, sometimes what we eat is not enough in terms that some people might have a greater need for certain nutrients and the unnecessarily increasing intake of nutrients can increase existing symptoms and conditions.

Can nutritional deficiencies cause hair loss?

Proper hair care and proper nutrition can prevent hair loss and promote the growth of hair. In most cases, hair loss is caused by lack of nutrients leading to a condition known as Telogen Effluvium; which pushes the hair from the growth phase to the resting stage temporarily causing hair loss. 

Fortunately, the effects of nutritional deficiencies on your hair are completely reversible as long as you re-gain the lost nutritional stability. Once the deficiencies are corrected, your hair will start showing signs of growth and you will witness lower rates of hair fall.

You can prevent hair loss due to nutritional deficiencies by ensuring that your intake of minerals and vitamins is proper. Take good care of your tresses by consumption of a balanced and healthy diet. While this is a preliminary tip, the best way to prevent hair loss caused due to nutritional deficiency is to consult a trichologist for proper diagnosis.  

Let’s take a look at the vitamins and nutrients essential to healthy hair: 

• Vitamin A: Hair is the fastest growing tissue in the human body and Vitamin A is imperative for its growth. Vitamin A helps glands make an oily substance called sebum and it moisturizes the scalp and keeps the hair healthy. 

Lack of Vitamin A will lead to hair loss because of which you must include carrots, pumpkins, and sweet potatoes in your diet as they are rich sources of Vitamin A. 

• Vitamin B: One of the best vitamins for hair growth is a type of Vitamin B known as biotin. And biotin deficiency is the main cause of hair loss due to inadequate nutrition. The use of biotin has also been made as an alternative hair loss treatment and individuals, who are deficient in Vitamin B, receive tremendous results from biotin therapy. 

Vitamin B helps create red blood cells which carry nutrients and oxygen to the scalp and hair follicles which is important for hair growth. 

Rich sources of Vitamin B are whole grains, almonds, meat, seafood and dark leafy greens. 

• Vitamin C: Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps protect against oxidative stress caused due to free radicals. Free radical damage can block hair growth and cause your hair to age. 

Moreover, your body needs Vitamin C to create a protein called collagen, which is an important part of the hair structure. It also helps your body absorb iron; a mineral of key importance to hair growth.

Consumption of strawberries, peppers, guavas and other citrus fruits will give you a boost of required Vitamin C. 

• Vitamin D: Having low levels of Vitamin D are linked to alopecia; a condition wherein the patient undergoes massive hair loss. Vitamin D has an important role in the process of hair production and it must be inculcated as a part of the daily diet for healthy hair. 

Mushrooms, cod liver oil and fortified foods are rich sources of Vitamin D. 

• Iron: Iron helps carry oxygen to all the cells of the body with the help of red blood cells. It is an important mineral for most bodily functions including hair growth. Moreover, iron deficiency causes conditions like anemia one of the symptoms of which is significant hair loss. 

Foods rich in iron include; lentils, meat, chia seeds, nuts and leafy green vegetables. 

• Zinc: Hair loss is a common symptom when suffering from zinc deficiency and studies show that resolving zinc deficiency with timely treatment may reduce and later put an end to deficiency-related hair loss issues. 

Zinc plays an important role in the repair and growth of hair tissues. It also helps the oil glands around the hair follicles work properly. 

Consumption of zinc via means of whole foods is advisable the sources of which include pumpkin seeds, wheat germ, lentils and spinach. 

Lifestyle plays an important role in the health and nutrition management of our bodies. Thus, one should manage it seriously.  It is essential to follow a healthy lifestyle routine inclusive of a balanced and healthy diet. Exercise, meditation and reduction of stress follow the proper intake of nutrients as essentials to long and strong hair. 

Trichohom understands every aspect of hair loss problems and is equipped with the perfect combination of the best trichologists and state-of-the-art facilities with the latest technology to render the perfect hair regeneration treatments to you. 

We are pioneers of expert hair care and skin care treatments and provide the best solutions to your hair and skin woes, ones that are effective and rendered to you keeping in mind your comfort and satisfaction. 

Suffering from hair loss problems? Book a consultation with Trichohom today!