Nutritional Factors In Hair Loss and Maintenance of Healthy Hair

Continual breakthroughs in surgical hair restoration, hair loss drugs, and cellular therapies demonstrate that baldness is a complex issue. Because hair loss is a complicated problem, it requires an integrated, multi-disciplined solution. Part of this proactive approach involves one tool that is often overlooked – nutritional factors and a proper diet.

Maintaining recommended levels of certain nutritional factors, eating a proper diet, and avoiding unsafe weight loss techniques can help promote healthy hair growth and avoid cases of unnecessary balding. So, which dietary supplements and eating habits are necessary for optimal growth and maintenance? Fortunately, recommended hair restoration physician Dr. Mike Meshkin of Newport Beach, California addressed these critical questions on our hair loss forums.

According to Dr. Meshkin, improper weight-loss techniques, such as crash diets, intake of less than 1,000 calories a day, and rapid weight gain of 20 or more pounds have all been associated with hair loss and increased hair shedding. Additionally, accelerated hair loss can be seen within as little as one month after beginning the new dietary habits. These diets deprive the body (and hair follicles) of necessary nutrients that allow for proper hair growth and help avoid sudden hair loss. So, what are these nutritional factors?

In order to maintain healthy hair, individuals should ingest appropriate levels of protein, fatty acids, Zinc, Iron, Biotin, Magnesium, and Vitamins A, B (complex), C, and E. Protein, Iron, and Zinc, which are often missing from extreme vegetarian and calorie deprivation diets, come from eating reasonable amounts of meats, fish, and dairy products. Biotin, which is a B vitamin associated with a variety of functions in the body, is found in wheat, brown rice, red meat, and egg yolk. Deficiencies in these supplements are known to cause a variety of conditions associated with hair loss, and can be avoided by consuming 800 mcg (micrograms) of Vitamin A, 50 mcg of Biotin, 400 mcg of Folic Acid, 100 mcg of Vitamin C, 10 mg (milligrams) of Vitamin E, 10 mg of Zinc, and reasonable amounts of the aforementioned foods daily. Many of these elements are found within a balanced daily vitamin and a physician should be contacted before beginning any sort of drastic dieting.

Following these nutritional guidelines can act as an important tool in avoiding certain types of hair loss and maintaining proper hair growth.

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Blake – aka Future_HT_Doc

Editorial Assistant and Forum Co-Moderator for the Hair Transplant Network, the Hair Loss Learning Center, the Hair Loss Q&A Blog, and the Hair Restoration Forum

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