Wednesday, May 1, 2024

The Role of Vitamins and Minerals in Hair Loss: A Review PMC

can iron deficiency cause hair loss

The recommended dietary allowance of food folate is 400 mcg daily for adults, which is supported by required fortification of some foods in the USA [22]. While most people in the USA ingest adequate amounts of folate, certain groups are at risk for deficiency (usually in association with poor diet, alcoholism, or a malabsorptive disorder). If a doctor encounters a person experiencing hair loss who has low iron and ferritin levels, they will suggest dietary changes that include increased iron levels. For instance, one study found that women with hair loss had low serum ferritin levels, qualifying them for iron deficiency.

Can Too Many Vitamins Cause Hair Loss?

Taken together, these changes were concurrent with drug toxicity that aligned with the patient’s over-consumption of vitamin A [21]. As you can see, there are many more options than just the often recommended “red meat” for including more iron into your diet. So, vegans and vegetarians should be able to achieve their daily levels no problem with just a little bit of planning. Your doctor would be able to easily determine if your iron levels are adequate with these tests, and recommend a treatment protocol if so. A doctor may measure your hemoglobin levels and your serum ferritin concentration, as well as potentially a few other measurements, to try and pinpoint the causative factor.

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If you’re noticing hair falling out in the shower, or your hair loss is sudden/falling out in clumps, make sure you speak to your doctor to identify the cause. When you have low iron, you’ll need to turn to your diet, supplements, and possibly medications to raise it up to healthy levels. Normal is 35.5 to 44.9 percent for adult women and 38.3 to 48.6 percent for adult men. This might result from bleeding in your gut, your period, or an injury. Your body takes in most of its iron through the upper small intestine.

Diet changes

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Using an ultrasonic treatment device, Bellasonic triggers the regeneration of crucial epidermal cells for hair formation. Biotin deficiency causes hair loss, but there are no evidence-based data that supplementing biotin promotes hair growth. Moreover, exogenous biotin interferes with some laboratory tests, creating false negative or false positive results.

A 2016 study notes that pallor in the skin or inside the eyelids is a reliable indicator of anemia. A person with severe anemia may also have pallor in the creases of the palms of the hands. Skin that’s paler than usual, as well as pale coloring of the inside of the lower eyelids, can also indicate iron deficiency. If you've been experiencing your hair thinning—and you aren't in the midst of a major medical scenario—chances are you're wondering what's causing the problem.

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Doktor notes that a common over-the-counter iron supplement, Slow-Fe, "is gentle on the stomach and won't cause constipation issues that can commonly arise with iron supplementation." Hair loss is often one of the first signs of hypothyroidism, a condition that makes your body produce a lower-than-normal amount of thyroid hormones. Additionally, a lack of thyroid hormone can cause overall sluggishness, dry skin, and cold intolerance. If you have alopecia, you can help hold onto your tresses by avoiding behaviors that are known to contribute to temporary and permanent hair loss, Mirmirani says. Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease that causes hair to fall out in nickel- or quarter-size patches.

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Practical pointers about protein

can iron deficiency cause hair loss

Usually, the only way to prevent hair loss is to treat the underlying condition. In a case documented in 1979, a 28-year-old woman undergoing renal dialysis noticed sudden hair loss. Further investigation revealed that she had been taking a daily vitamin A supplement (5000 IU) and that her vitamin A serum levels were well above normal (140 μg/dL). Gentle traction yielded four to five hairs, all of which were in the telogen phase. One month after termination of vitamin A supplementation, hair loss was no longer a problem.

What are the symptoms of low ferritin?

The authors hypothesized that iron deficiency might change the normal progression of the hair cycle. However, whether these six genes play a role in iron-dependent processes in the hair follicle remains to be elucidated. Although not yet proven, there is a prevailing view that hepcidin upregulation diverts iron from the hair follicle to support the essential iron requirements.

can iron deficiency cause hair loss

We performed a broad literature search of PubMed and Google Scholar in July 2018 to compile published articles that study the relationship between vitamins and minerals, and hair loss. After three authors had independently screened titles and abstracts for relevance and had thoroughly examined the clinical results, 125 articles were selected to be included in this review. This article is based on previously conducted studies and does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors. The most commonly seen is telogen effluvium – an increased shedding from all over the scalp. Other types of hair loss that occur due to low levels of iron are alopecia areata and female pattern hair loss – thinning hair on the top and front of the head (1). The most common nutritional deficiency in the world is iron deficiency, which contributes to TE [82, 83].

Because hair follicles contain ferritin, some people believe that raising ferritin and iron levels will aid in hair growth. However, it is important to speak with a doctor first because too much iron can cause health issues. Hair loss has many causes, and it can affect adults and children of all genders. When you don’t have enough iron, your body can’t produce the hemoglobin in your blood. Hemoglobin carries oxygen for the growth and repair of cells in your body, including the cells that stimulate hair growth. There are some fatty acids that relate significantly to your hair health.

Other non-hormonal tests include cardiac and tumor markers, infectious disease serologies, biomarkers of anemia and autoimmune diseases, and concentrations of immunosuppressive drugs [29–32]. There are two ways to increase your iron levels if you are deficient, you can either eat more iron-rich foods, you can supplement with iron, or you could do a mix of the two. If you are concerned that your iron levels may not be adequate, it is important to ask your doctor to measure your levels. One of the most common causes of iron deficiency can occur in women of menstruating age, due to the monthly losses of blood during their menstrual cycle. Other signs of iron deficiency include strange cravings, depression, frequent infections, and cold hands and feet. Children and older adults share symptoms, but neurological symptoms, like ADHD, are more common in children.

Some research shows that selenium can help with hair loss, including among people who are getting chemotherapy. Hair loss and hair shedding can be a symptom of biotin deficiency. Unfortunately, there aren’t many clear-cut answers when it comes to which vitamin deficiencies cause hair loss. However, this article will cover what we do know about vitamin deficiencies and hair loss, as well as what nutrient intakes can impact your hair. Selenium is an essential trace element required for the synthesis of more than 35 proteins.

If you like the idea of adding supplements to your routine, there are some which are specifically formulated to contain ingredients that increase hair thickness and health. Each study conducted to data has its own specific limitation, and the constraint of cost and lack of motivated funders for this research are significant limitations. Iron deficiency can potentially trigger a type of hair loss called telogen effluvium, where intense physical stress or illness causes widespread thinning of the hair in both men and women.

However, correctly treating low ferritin levels might help restore a person’s natural, healthy hair. If increasing iron intake does not resolve symptoms, doctors will consider other options, such as medical treatments for hair loss or other possible underlying conditions. When a doctor diagnoses low ferritin levels, they will typically advise the person to adjust their diet and take an iron supplement until iron levels normalize. To prevent iron deficiency anemia in infants, feed your baby breast milk or iron-fortified formula for the first year. Cow's milk isn't a good source of iron for babies and isn't recommended for infants under 1 year.

If you or your child develops signs and symptoms that suggest iron deficiency anemia, see your doctor. So see your doctor for a diagnosis rather than taking iron supplements on your own. Overloading the body with iron can be dangerous because excess iron accumulation can damage your liver and cause other complications. The best way to treat hair loss with ferritin is to increase your iron levels. Your doctor might talk to you about taking supplements if you don’t eat enough iron-rich foods (such as liver and beef). Doctors are not sure why some people who experience hair loss have low iron stores.

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How do ferritin levels affect hair growth?

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