A guide to essential vitamins and minerals that prevent hair
loss
In many cases, hair loss is attributed to a physical condition,
such as Thyroid disease, or the lack of proper nutrition.
Certain medications can also strip your body of vitamins and
minerals that are essential for healthy hair production and
growth. In these cases, the proper vitamin and mineral regimen
can significantly reduce hair loss and promote new hair growth.
After starting a vitamin and mineral supplement program, it can
take up to 2 to 3 months to see results, but you will see
results. So, do not become discouraged if your hair loss does
not totally reverse itself after a few weeks of vitamin and
mineral therapy.
The following is a guide to some of the more common vitamins and
minerals that have been proven to be effective at promoting
healthy hair growth. If you are going to start taking any of the
listed supplements, be sure to consult with your doctor first
and not to exceed the recommended dosage. Doing so can actually
cause hair loss in some cases.
Vitamin A is an antioxidant that helps to produce healthy sebum
(oil) in the scalp. You get Vitamin A by consuming foods such as
fish liver oil, milk, meat, cheese, eggs, cabbage, carrots,
spinach, broccoli, apricots and peaches. The daily recommended
dosage of Vitamin A is 5,000 IU.
Vitamin C is another antioxidant that helps maintain healthy
hair and skin. You get Vitamin C by consuming foods such as
citrus fruits, kiwi, pineapple, tomatoes, green peppers,
potatoes and dark green vegetables. The daily recommended dose
is 60 mg.
Vitamin E increases scalp circulation which is vital for hair
growth. You get Vitamin E by eating foods such as wheat germ
oil, soybeans, raw seeds ad nuts, dried beans and leafy green
vegetables. The daily recommended dose is up to 400 IU.
Biotin is thought to help produce keratin, the building block
of hair and nails. It is also thought that is vitamin may
prevent graying. You get Biotin from eating foods such as whole
grains, egg yolks, liver, rice and milk. The daily recommended
dose is 150-300 mcg.
Vitamin B6 is thought to prevent hair loss and help create
melanin, the pigment which gives hair its color. You get Vitamin
B6 by eating foods such as liver, whole grain cereals,
vegetables, organ meats and egg yolks. The daily recommended
dose is 1.6 mg.
Calcium is essential for healthy hair growth. You get Calcium
by eating foods such as dairy, fish, nuts, lentils and sesame
seeds. The daily recommended dose is up to 1,500 mg.
Copper helps prevent hair loss and defects in hair color and
structure. You get copper by eating foods such as shellfish,
liver, green vegetables, eggs, chicken and beans. The daily
recommended dost is up to 3 mg.
Iodine helps regulate thyroid hormones. Thyroid disease is the
number one cause of disease-related hair loss. You get Iodine
from foods such as fish, seaweed, kelp, iodized salt and garlic.
The recommended daily dose is 150 mcg.
Manganese prevents hair from growing too slowly. You get
Manganese from foods such as eggs, whole grain cereals,
avocados, beans, nuts, meat and chicken. The daily recommended
dose is 3 to 9 mg.
Silica prevents hair loss by strengthening the hair. You get
Silica from eating foods such as seafood, soybeans, rice and
green vegetables. The daily recommended dose is 55 mcg.
As was mentioned earlier, taking more than the recommended
dosage of these vitamins and minerals can have devastating
consequences to your health. In addition, some supplements are
not recommended for people with certain health conditions or for
persons taking certain medications. So, be sure to talk with
your doctor before taking any supplements to prevent hair loss.
In addition to these few examples, there are myriads of
vitamins and minerals that can help you promote hair growth and
slow down the process of hair loss. To find out which ones meet
your needs, talk to your doctor.