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Nutrituional Deficiencies |
Hair loss due to nutritional deficiencies
Everyone sheds hair at about the same rate, but there are some people, through genetics, who have fewer new hairs that grow to replace those that shed. Pattern baldness or permanent hair loss is simply the result of genetic programming. Increased hair shedding, or temporary hair loss can be caused by a host of different reasons.
Some of these reasons include poor nutrition and diet, genes, hormones, age, medications such as chemotherapy, radiation treatment, infections, stress, chemicals used for certain hairstyles, and rapid weight loss.
Certain illnesses and diseases can also cause hair loss or hair shedding. Examples include anemia, low thyroid hormone levels, lupus, and sometimes cancer. In most of these cases, hair loss is not permanent.
Nutritional deficiencies can contribute to increased hair shedding by weakening hair shafts that cause breakage to the hair and slow regrowth. Principal nutrients that are involved include vitamin A, certain B vitamins, the vitamin biotin, vitamin C, copper, iron, zinc, protein, and water. Nutritionally balanced diet, provides good nutrition for a better stable and clear mind, which is always helpful when dealing with anything traumatic or stressful, such as hair loss.
People with eating disorders such as bulima or anorexia nervosa suffer hair loss as a result of malnutrition. The malnutrition indicates deficiency for energy, protein and micronutrients like vitamin A, iodine and iron, either singularly or in combination. One of the effects that malnutrition has on the body is dry skin and hair, brittle nails and hair loss. Another “hair” effect that can occur from malnutrition is the appearance of a soft baby fine hair called lanugo growing all over skin. This is caused due to a protective mechanism built into the body to help a person warm during period of starvation and malnutrition. This type of hair loss is usually reversible if the person returns to proper nutrition and balanced eating, however, long term eating disorders can cause irreversible hair loss as well.
Sugar and Hair Loss
Even though it deals with both a contributing cause of hair loss and the corresponding preventive and treatment diet. That’s because sugar imbalance isn’t a primary cause of hair loss. It is, instead, a strong contributing factor in the hormonal imbalance factors that are at the root of most kinds of hair loss.With sugar-balancing diet, you can help regulate your testosterone levels and create an internal physiological environment supportive of hair growth.
Fat intake and hair loss
Foods affect hormones quickly, anywhere from a few minutes to a few weeks. Scientist already know that diets high in animal fats trigger the release of more testosterone into your blood-stream. Studies have also shown that low-fat or vegetarian diets lower levels of testosterone into your bloodstream. A low-fat diet also lowers estrogen levels in both men and women.
All in all, a high fat diet throws your normal hormonal balance into a tizzy. And that affects your hair loss, since testosterone plays such a pivotal role in androgenetic alopecia and other hormonally triggered hair loss.
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| Problems caused by modern diets |
Problems caused by modern diets.
Modern diets can be blamed for a number of nutritional deficiencies that may contribute to hair loss.
• Refining of whole grains reduces the B vitamin content.
• Overcooking of vegetables destroys B vitamins.
• Most people have a lack of raw leafy greens in the diet.
• The vitamins that have been ingested are directed to aid in the digestion of excess refined carbohydrates such as sugar and white flour that are deficient in B vitamins.
• Stimulants such as caffeine, nicotine and alcohol rob the body of vital nutrients.
• High levels of cholesterol are linked with the production of DHT which is a major contributor to male pattern type baldness.
• Excessive salt intake may influence hair loss due to its tendency to accumulate in tissue.
• Low fibre intake inhibits the digestion process thus reducing the body's ability to pass nutrients into the blood stream. These nutritional inadequacies affect all aspects of health and well-being but they have relevance to hair loss specifically because if the body is in the poor nutrition state it will ration out nutrients in the order of vital organs first and hair last. Improved nutrition will not result in new hair growth, but it will minimize shedding and support other treatments that encourage regrowth.
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