If you’re like most people, the new year represents a clean slate, an opportunity to become your best self. If your hair is thinning, fighting hair loss is likely at the top of your list of resolutions for 2022, but you probably don’t know where to begin. The good news is that the solution to regrowing your tresses may be as simple as making educated decisions about what you put on your plate. Read on to discover which healthy foods can help you reverse hair loss.
Types of Hair Loss Impacted by Nutritional Deficiencies
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), “Nutritional deficiency may impact both hair structure and hair growth.” 1 While there may be other underlying causes, nutritional deficiencies have been linked to the following conditions:
Telogen effluvium
Diffuse alopecia
Alopecia areata
Female pattern hair loss
For example, telogen effluvium often occurs after sudden weight loss or from decreased protein intake. And diffuse alopecia has been observed in patients with niacin deficiency.2
Nutritional Deficiencies That Can Cause Hair Loss
A deficiency in one or more of the following nutrients can contribute to hair loss:
Iron
Zinc
Niacin (vitamin B3)
Fatty acids
Selenium
Vitamin D
Vitamin A
Vitamin E
Folic acid
Biotin
Protein
Antioxidants
Fighting Hair Loss With Healthy Foods
While it may be tempting to take handfuls of supplements to combat your hair loss, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans state that “nutritional needs should be met primarily from foods.” 3 Eating the following healthy foods on a regular basis will help you fight hair loss that’s caused or exacerbated by nutritional deficiencies:
Red meat is an excellent source of high-quality protein, iron, niacin, selenium, zinc, and phosphorus.
Lentils are a nutrient-dense, vegetarian alternative to red meat that’s high in protein and iron.
Eggs are rich in protein, vitamin A, biotin, zinc, and selenium.
Spinach is high in protein and iron.
Berries and citrus are loaded with vitamin C, which helps your body absorb iron more effectively. Berries are also high in antioxidants.
Fatty fish like salmon, sardines, and trout are high in vitamins A, niacin, and D and essential fatty acids, including Omega-3s.
Nuts, seeds, brown rice, bananas, and legumes contain niacin.
Many healthy foods, including dairy, plant-based milks, orange juice, and cereals, are fortified with nutrients such as vitamin D.
This list is by no means exhaustive. It simply illustrates how easily you can add delicious, healthy foods that support hair growth into your diet in 2022.
Contact the Hair Loss Experts
Whether it’s due to nutrition or other causes, hair loss can be extremely stressful. You don’t need to go through it alone. If you’re dealing with hair loss, contact Custom Hair Tampa Bay today by clicking here.
Photo Credit: cattalin Via Pixabay
1Guo, Emily L. and Katta, Rajani. “Diet and hair loss: effects of nutrient deficiency and supplement use.” 31 January, 2017. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5315033/ National Institutes of Health. Accessed 5 January, 2022.
2 Ibid.
3U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 8th Edition. December 2015. http://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/. Accessed 5 January, 2022.