Studies show that about 40% of men ages 35 to 45 years old suffer from male pattern baldness. In the US alone, 35 million men and 21 million women suffer from hair loss. Apart from aging, one of the most common causes of hair loss is vitamin deficiency. To promote healthy, thick hair, make sure you boost your diet with these nutrients:
Vitamin C or ascorbic acid acts as a nutrient and as antioxidant. It protects the body from cell degeneration to delay aging. Studies show that vitamin C helps generate more collagen proteins in the body. This protein strengthens the blood vessels, bones, ligaments, and tendons. It also keeps your hair stronger by increasing the absorption of oxygen to the scalp. In addition, vitamin C assists in the absorption of certain minerals, such as iron. Adding vitamin C to your daily diet helps reduce the risk of alopecia or baldness.
B vitamins refer to an umbrella of essential nutrients that break down food, promote nutrient absorption, and convert food into energy. These nutrients also reduce the risk of alopecia by stimulating the hair follicles to grow and strengthening the hair strands so they do not break easily. To add B vitamins to your diet, nosh on green leafy vegetables, seaweeds, and whole grains.
Iron is a nutrient that assists in the production of new red blood cells in the body. Red blood cells are the carriers of oxygen to the organs. When the body has enough red blood cells, more organs receive oxygen. Studies show that an iron-rich diet helps reduce hair thinning. More red blood cells mean more oxygen is being distributed to the hair and scalp. Oxygen is essential to better hair health! Some of the best sources of iron are chicken, pork, and beef livers, oysters, clams, tuna, and eggs. Oatmeal, lentils, spinach, and peanut butter are great sources of iron too!
Known as the beauty vitamin, vitamin E helps promote hair growth by strengthening every hair strand. This is the perfect vitamin to take if you are prone to hair breakage, balding and damaged hair. This nutrient also promotes better skin health! Most foods contain vitamin E but you can also take vitamin E supplements to keep your hair and scalp healthy.
Just like vitamin C, vitamin A is a nutrient and an antioxidant too. It neutralizes the effects of free radicals that destroy health cells. It also promotes healthy skin and hair! Vitamin A also improves vision and promotes cell repair. All these are instrumental to vitamin A’s ability to boost hair growth! However, too much vitamin A may do your hair more harm than good. As such, take this nutrient by consuming vitamin A-rich foods instead of taking supplements.
Vitamin D helps promote stronger bones and teeth. This nutrient is also instrumental to healthy hair. The good news is, you can get your vitamin D from sunlight. The skin converts sunlight into vitamin D so we recommend heading out between 7 to 9 AM when the sun is not too harsh. You can also take supplements to increase your vitamin D levels.