What is the relationship between hair loss and diet?

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Excessive hair threads in the comb are a very painful spectacle.

Hair loss can be a very troubling experience, especially for young people. But don't worry, you are not alone. A source estimated that almost 33% of men and 40% of women in the UK over 25 face some sort of hair loss issue.

In addition to millions of people with androgenic alopecia (heredity hair loss), there are also at least 400,000 people with alopecia areata, an autoimmune condition. Many more people are suffering from a variety of infections causing hair loss. What are the causes of hair loss? What are the essential nutrients the body needs for hair health? What is the role of vitamin deficiencies in hair fall? Which vitamins are essential for hair health?

In this article, we will be answering these questions.

What causes your hair follicles to die out?

The hairs on your scalp grow from the roots called hair follicles. A hair follicle has a root (with blood supply) that supports the hair shaft. The hairs are in a continuous growth cycle, the 'follicle cycle'. When the follicle enters the resting phase, it sheds its hair until it re-enters the growing phase.

Loss of blood supply and nutrition will cause the hair follicles to shrink and ultimately die out.

Therefore, losing 50-100 hair threads from the scalp is customary. But, when more hair follicles begin to enter the resting (telogen phase), you will notice more hairs in your comb. Many other factors can cause it. These include;

Hereditary (androgenic alopecia)
Autoimmune disorders (alopecia areata)
Fungal infections (e.g., Tinea capitis scalp infections)
Bacterial infections (e.g., staphylococcal skin infections)
Nutritional deficiencies (deficiency of vitamins, minerals, essential amino acids and essential fatty acids).
Anti-cancer drugs and other therapies etc.

Vitamin deficiencies, one of the main culprits for hair loss

Whenever hair loss starts, the first thing usually blamed is the food. How important is nutrition in hair loss? It is not the only cause but is among the leading causes. Just like other body structures, hairs also need a good supply of nutrients for growth, repair and maintenance. The blood supplies these nutrients.

If the blood supply to the scalp is reduced, the result will be baldness. The same will be the case if enough desired nutrients are not present in the blood.

The necessary nutrients for hair growth

This topic is pervasive, and research is going on. However, the following nutrients (amino acids, vitamins, and minerals) impact hair growth.

Iron
Zinc
Niacin (Vitamin B3)
Vitamin D
Vitamin C
Vitamin A
Vitamin E
Folic acid (B9)
Biotin (B7)
Protein and amino acids
Essential fatty acids
Selenium

Any nutritional program should incorporate these nutrients for healthy hair.

Vitamins and hair health

Vitamins have an essential role in hair health. They will not reverse the male or female hair loss pattern but promote the hair growth cycle. Their deficiency will require you to go for dietary supplements.

In this article, you will understand how vitamins promote hair health and how the deficiencies of vitamins can cause hair loss.

An essential thing about vitamin deficiency is that you may not know it. At Welzo, we provide a Vitamin Deficiency test that can be helpful. Click here to place your order.

Niacin (B3)

Niacin is a water-soluble vitamin, and its deficiency is often linked with hair loss.

What causes you to develop niacin deficiency?

Some factors can cause you to become niacin deficient.

The leading cause is the food deficiency in niacin, as introducing niacin-fortified foods reduced the incidence of pellagra in developed nations.
Another cause could be alcoholism, as alcohol reduces niacin absorption.
Some drugs, e.g., isoniazid, can also reduce its absorption in the blood.

Role in hair health

Niacin promotes healthy skin. The deficiency of this vitamin causes a condition known as pellagra, which results in highly photosensitive skin, dementia, diarrhoea and alopecia.

However, no study has measured the serum levels of niacin in bald people.

Vitamin D deficiency and hair loss

This vitamin is known to improve bone health but is also essential for healthy hair growth.

What causes you to become vitamin D deficient?

A host of factors are responsible, but the most commonly identified factors are;

Darker skin
Inadequate or no exposure to sunlight
Fat absorption (it is a fat-soluble vitamin)
Obesity
Gastric problems

ROLE IN HAIR HEALTH

Various studies have found that vitamin D has a role in the cycling of hair follicles. The animals also lost hair in one study designed to study vitamin D deficiency-induced rickets. Therefore, low vitamin D levels can cause hair loss.

It is also known that the receptors of vitamin D are also developed in the keratinocytes on the outer sheath of hair when the follicles are growing.

Although studies are needed to understand the impact of vitamin D supplements on serum D2 levels, a study involving eight women suffering from female pattern hair loss and telogen effluvium found that they have significantly lower levels of D2 in the serum and the levels decreased further with increasing severity of the problem.

Vitamin A

It is a group of compounds, e.g., retinoic acid, retinol, retinal etc.

Role in hair growth

In animal models, vitamin A is known to cause the activation of stem cells of hair follicles; The stem cells are the cells that produce other cells. Its role in hair growth is relatively complex, and the levels of retinoic acid are involved in optimal hair development.

Excess supplementation is also dangerous

One thing important about vitamin A is that its excess can be more dangerous than its deficiency. Human studies have shown that its over-supplementation can cause hair loss and other issues related to bone health, vision and skin.

Vitamin C

Also known as ascorbic acid, this water-soluble vitamin is produced by glucose metabolism in the body.

How is it related to hair health?

Although its deficiency is linked to abnormalities in the body's hair, no scientific data has correlated its levels with hair loss. However, it has a role in the intestinal absorption and metabolism of iron. So, supplementation could be helpful if you have iron deficiency anaemia or iron deficiency-related hair loss.

Vitamin E

This fat-soluble vitamin promotes bone health.

What causes you to become vitamin D deficient?

Vitamin E and its other family members (tocopherols and tocotrienols) are highly potent antioxidants. Their deficiencies result in skin dryness, thrombolytic anaemia and neurological problems. Although vitamin E deficiency is rare, it is frequent with other fat absorption disorders as it is also a fat-soluble vitamin.

ROLE IN HAIR HEALTH

Reports of its usefulness for hair growth exist, but little information is available on how its supplementation benefits hair loss. A significant increase in hair density was noted in a study involving 21 recipients of 100mg of tocotrienols daily.

Excess supplementation is as dangerous as the deficiency

However, extra supplementation should be avoided as hypervitaminosis can cause bleeding issues and hypothyroidism.

A study noted the adverse effects on hair density in the people receiving 600 international units (IU) daily for 28 days, as the dose is 30 times more than the recommended allowance of 20-22 IU.

Biotin

It acts as an essential co-factor for the enzymes involved in carboxylation, the process involving the synthesis.

What are the causes of biotin deficiency?

In normal individuals, biotin is produced by the bacteria present in the intestines, so deficiencies are rare. However, deficiencies can occur in;

Acquired or congenital carboxylase or biotinidase deficiency
Using antibiotics that disrupt intentional bacteria
Use of anti-epileptic drugs
Ingesting (excessive) egg whites of raw eggs (binding with avidin occurs; avidin is a biotin-binding protein)

An in vitro study noted that sheep hair follicles kept in the solutions containing biotin resulted in an increased protein and DNA synthesis.

How its deficiency impacts hair health?

Deficiency symptoms include alopecia in addition to skin rashes and conjunctivitis (eye irritation). A study noted patchy alopecia in an infant whose formula diet was deficient in biotin, and daily supplementation of biotin resolved the issue.

Although it is present in various biotin supplements sold for hair loss, no clinical trials have proven the efficacy of biotin supplements for hair loss.

However, it has shown effectiveness in the treatment of brittleness of fingernails.

Conclusion

The vitamins have a role in hair growth, and vitamin deficiencies can cause a disruption of cell growth in the hair follicles and hair thinning. They are, however, not responsible for male pattern hair loss and other forms of androgenic alopecia.

Vitamins are very essential for healthy life

Vitamin deficiencies can cause hair fall, but little information is available about vitamin supplements' efficacy in treating hair fall. It is, however, prudent to avoid vitamin deficiencies through a balanced diet containing an abundance of fruits, leafy greens, vegetables, nuts and seeds—a healthy lifestyle. In case of deficiency symptoms, consult your physician to select supplements.

However, don't hesitate to take professional medical advice before taking vitamin supplementation because excess use of some vitamins can also lead to hair loss.

If you want more information about hair loss or would like to complete an online consultation to begin a hair loss treatment, view our Hair Loss treatment page here.

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