Our hair is composed of proteins. You may experience hair loss when your body doesn’t get sufficient protein. On an average, an individual needs to take 46-56 grams of proteins on a daily basis. However, it may vary depending upon the height, weight, and other factors of the person.
Human hair is composed of a protein called Keratin. It is made up of two amino acids and the polypeptide chains tacked on each other. According to the dermatologists of the American Academy of Dermatology, the lack of the proteins in the diet can cause hair thinning all over the scalp.The people who jump on having fad diet exclude protein to get rid of their excess fat. But, this exclusion led them suffering from protein deficiency. To manage the deficiency, the body saves the protein by pushing the growing hairs to enter the resting stage. As a result, all your hairs will fall out within 2-3 months.
How lack of protein causes shedding of the hairs?
We know that protein is an essential component of hair. The amino acid chains look after the healthy growth of the hair. These chains are found in the middle part of the hair. They consist of hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon, and Sulphur which are building blocks of nail and skin. When you intake protein, the digestive system of the body breaks it down into amino acids. These amino acids passed into the blood and are carried to different body parts. Then, your hair follicles use the required amino acids to initiate the growth process of new hairs. So, if your body doesn’t get it in the right amount, the hairs fail to grow leading to baldness.
How much protein is essential?
The US Department of Agriculture recommends that you should eat between 5-6 and half ounce equivalents of protein foods regularly. Ounce equivalents are serving estimation of various protein foods. As for instance, 1/4th cup of cooked beans, 1 ounce of meat, and ½ ounce of nuts in a single serving supply enough proteins to enhance the volume of your hair. You should eat at least 5 times a day and try to include minimum one protein food in each meal.
Due to the lack of protein, your hair may get damaged and brittle. When the hair is not healthy, it falls off quickly. A protein treatment is definitely helpful but the overdose can make your hair stiff and hard. The treatment repairs the damaged hair by strengthening it through getting into the shaft. This, in turn, increases the longevity of the hair.
The protein deficiency hair loss is mainly observed in women. The women do not pay much attention to their health and this aggravates the issue. However, they can overcome it just by switching to a proper diet.
Before losing your weight through dieting, you should visit a dietician to consult the problem. He will prepare a food chart for you which will exclude only the fatty foods and include everything that is crucial for your health.