How does diet affect hair loss?

Written by Paris Kazemian
Hair loss can be temporary or permanent. Hair loss can affect only your scalp or the entirety of your body. It could be caused by hereditary factors, illnesses, hormonal changes, or a natural aspect of aging. Hair loss can happen to anybody but males are more likely to get it.

Baldness often refers to a significant loss of scalp hair. The most frequent cause of baldness is hereditary hair loss as people age. Some people would rather let their these progress naturally without treatment. Others may disguise it with hats, scarves, cosmetics, or wigs. Others decide to use one of the treatments on offer to stop additional hair loss or encourage growth.

Different types of hair loss

Depending on why you are losing hair, it may appear in a variety of ways. the scalp, or entire body, can be affected suddenly or gradually. Always seek medical attention for your problem first. Here are some reasons for these problem:

• Gradual thinning on top of the head. This is the most common type of hair loss, affecting people as they age. In men, hair often begins to recede at the hairline on the forehead. Women typically have a broadening of the part in their hair. An increasingly common hair loss pattern in older women is a receding hairline (frontal fibrosing alopecia).

• Circular or patchy bald spots. Some people lose hair in circular or patchy bald spots on the scalp, beard, or eyebrows. Your skin may become itchy or painful before the hair falls out.

• Sudden loosening of hair. A physical or emotional shock can cause hair to loosen. Handfuls of hair may come out when combing or washing your hair or even after gentle tugging. This type of hair loss usually causes overall hair thinning but is temporary.

• Full-body hair loss. Some conditions and medical treatments, such as chemotherapy for cancer, can result in the loss of hair all over your body. The hair usually grows back.

• Patches of scaling that spread over the scalp. This is a sign of ringworm. It may be accompanied by broken hair, redness, swelling, and, at times, oozing.

Hair loss risk factors

• A family history of balding on your mother’s or father’s side
• Age
• Significant weight loss
• Certain medical conditions, such as diabetes , lupus and PCOs (in women)
• Hormonal changes like as postpartum hair loss (in women)
• Stress
• Poor nutrition

Vitamins and minerals that play role in hair growth

1. Vitamin A, Vitamin A is essential for cell growth. This includes hair, which is the human body tissue that grows the quickest. So, Vitamin A deficiency in the diet can cause a number of issues, including hair loss.
2. B Vitamins, The B vitamin biotin (B7) is one of the most popular vitamins for hair development. Human hair loss and biotin deficiency are linked in studies. Other B vitamins help create red blood cells, which carry oxygen and nutrients to the scalp and hair follicles. These processes are important for hair growth.
3. Vitamin C, Your hair might age and stop growing as a result of free radical damage. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps protect against the oxidative stress caused by free radicals.
4. Vitamin D, Low levels of vitamin D are linked to alopecia, a technical term for hair loss based on studies . Vitamin D is thought to play a role in hair production, but most research focuses on vitamin D receptors. The actual role of vitamin D in hair growth is unknown.
5. Vitamin E, Similar to vitamin C, vitamin E is an antioxidant that can help prevent oxidative stress. In one study, people with hair loss experienced a 34.5% increase in hair growth after supplementing with vitamin E for 8 months.
6. Iron, Red blood cells provide oxygen to your cells with the aid of iron. This makes it a crucial mineral for a variety of biological processes, including the growth of hair. Iron deficiency, which causes anemia, is a major cause of hair loss. It’s especially common in women who experience heavy periods. 
7. Zinc, The mineral zinc plays a crucial role in the growth and repair of hair tissue. In addition to this, it keeps the oil glands around the follicles functioning as they should.
8. Protein, Protein makes up the majority of the hair structure. For better hair growth, eating enough protein is crucial. protein deficiency may decrease hair growth and even lead to hair loss based on animal studies .

The 10 Best Foods that may help hair growth

However, a variety of factors, including age, general health, genetics, environmental exposure, drugs, and food, affect how quickly it develops and how healthy it is. Even while you have no control over certain factors, such as age and heredity, your diet is probably one that you have greater influence over.

Hair loss can be caused by eating a diet that is deficient in certain nutrients. Vitamins and minerals from food play an important role in the hair follicle growth cycle and in cellular turnover. A healthy diet full of essential vitamins and minerals can boost hair growth.

High nutrient-dense meals are some of the greatest foods for hair growth. Nutritional deficiencies can have an impact on hair health.

1. Eggs
2. Avocado
3. Nuts
4. seeds
5. Fatty Fish
6. Milk
7. Soybeans
8. Spinach
9. Berries
10. Banana

The bottom line

There are different types of hair loss and it can be caused by different reasons which poor nutrition is one of the most important reasons. Food is the best source of the vitamins you need for hair growth. It may be beneficial to take supplements if you are not getting enough in your diet. It is best to take supplements when you are already deficient in some nutrients.

Moreover, excessive amounts of vitamins and minerals can harm your health if you are not deficient in them. Your GP may request a blood test to investigate your probable deficiencies.

Finally, A balanced, real-food-based diet that includes lots of nutrient-dense foods is one of the best ways to obtain these nutrients to help hair growth.

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