What Does Your Hair Need to Grow? The Connection Between Nutrition and Hair Loss
It might seem like a silly analogy, but envision a symphony orchestra... Many separate groups and instruments coming together, each performing their own important function. Some instruments have a bigger role than others, yet all are critical to the final performance. When it comes to nutrition, hair growth happens in much the same way. When one component is missing or deficient, it can cause abnormal shedding, hair that is weak, dry, brittle, broken or limp, premature graying, scalp or systemic inflammation, slow hair growth or dormant follicles. If the deficiency is not properly addressed, hair loss can continue to progress over time.
Protein: The Strings
Protein is the building block and primary contributor to the actual makeup of the hair, and without it the body just doesn't have the raw materials needed to build new hair. Many people are unaware of how much protein they should be getting on a daily basis. Vegans, vegetarians and GLP-1 users are especially vulnerable to deficiency, due to either insufficient protein intake or lack of diversity of proteins in the diet.
Carbs: The Woodwinds
The hair follicles require a great deal of energy for the process of making and growing hair, and healthy carbohydrates provide the fuel for them to function optimally. A diet too low in carbs can push a large quantity of hair follicles into the dormant stage at one time, which will result in excessive shedding approx 2-4 months later. Shedding could continue, and new hair growth delayed, until carbs are added back into the diet, when the hair follicles have enough energy to move into the growth phase again.
Vitamin D: The Brass
Vitamin D is actually a hormone that plays a significant role in the hair growth cycle by stimulating follicles and promoting new hair growth. Deficiencies are linked to many different types of hair loss, including autoimmune and scarring types of hair loss. The hair can also be affected by many other biological processes in the body that depend on optimal blood levels of Vitamin D, not just "acceptable" levels. Healthy sun exposure is the best source of Vitamin D, but I am including it here because you can also get smaller amounts in your diet.
Vitamins & Minerals: Percussion
Vitamins A, B, C, E, and K and essential minerals are absolutely vital to the nourishment of the body, hair and scalp. They increase circulation of blood and nutrients to the follicles and keeping hair in the growth phase longer. Optimal levels improve the function of other organs and systems that directly or indirectly affect hair growth such as digestion, blood sugar regulation and thyroid health. Healthy iron levels are so vital to hair growth that just being within "acceptable" range on your bloodwork, is still not optimal for new hair growth.
Fats: The Conductor
Healthy fats create an environment where hair can thrive and grow by nourishing the scalp, and reducing hair brittleness and follicle inflammation. Also, many vitamins are fat-soluble, which means fat is required for the body to be able to absorb those nutrients during digestion. These benefits apply specifically to healthy balance of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fats. An imbalanced diet that is high Omega-6 fats can lead to inflammation and hair loss.
Your diet doesn't need to be perfect, it's just about getting enough nutrients and whole foods on a consistent basis. Try adding high nutrient foods gradually, and then consider supplementing if you need to.
The first step to understanding the cause of your hair loss, and whether your diet or nutrient deficiencies are a factor, is to schedule a Hair+Scalp Assessment. Otherwise, you could be spending a ton of money on supplements that don't even have the ingredients necessary to address your needs.
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