Natural Hair Loss Remedies?
Vitamins for Hair Loss Prevention



Many people do not realize the importance of vitamins for hair loss prevention. Vitamin deficiency can be a cause of hair loss in some people, and making sure you have the proper vitamin intake is one way to fight hair loss and perhaps promote some degree of hair regrowth. If you are concerned about hair loss, you owe it to yourself to learn about natural hair loss remedies and vitamins for hair loss prevention.

Vitamins are not "magic pills" that will cure baldness. On the other hand, in addition to eating a balanced diet, vitamin supplementation can be a factor in promoting healthy hair growth and discouraging excessive hair loss, and some people still believe that certain vitamins are natural hair loss remedies. This is by no means a comprehensive guide, but merely an overview of some of the vitamins and minerals thought to be related to hair loss, hair growth, and in some cases, hair restoration.

Vitamin C is considered by many to be essential to total body health, including preventing hair loss, but it can neither be stored in the body, nor manufactured by the body. As a consequence, in order to get enough Vitamin C, you have to consume it, either as a part of your regular diet, or through supplements. The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of vitamin C is a relatively low 60 milligrams, but many devotees of vitamin C take a good deal more of it on a daily basis. Vitamin C is thought to be essential to the absorption of other vitamins and minerals, and also thought to be essential to healthy skin and hair. Foods that are high in Vitamin C include most citrus fruits and leafy green vegetables, as well as some things you might not expect - broccoli, strawberries, and kiwi fruit for example.

Vitamin E is another vitamin that is considered by many to be essential for healthy hair and skin. Vitamin E is thought to increase circulation in your scalp, which many believe encourages hair growth. Foods that are high in Vitamin E include leafy green vegetables, and many seeds and nuts. It is also found in some vegetable oils, particularly soybean oil.

Biotin is said to assist the body in the production of keratin, which in turn is thought to be integral to having healthy hair. Adequate biotin intake is thought to both discourage hair loss, and also help to prevent graying hair. Foods such as whole grains and rice, are said to be high in biotin, as is liver, and certain dairy producst such as milk and egg yolks.

Iron is thought to be necessary for normal hair growth, and iron deficiency is surprisingly common in our population. It can be caused by a variety of illnesses and injuries, and is fairly common after childbirth, and in some women, even after heavy menstruation. Foods that are high in iron include seafoods such as oysters and clams, meats such as liver, beef, and turkey, and some vegetables, notably various beans, as well as potatoes, spinach, and asparagus. By the way, if you happen to be taking an iron supplement, be careful - excessive iron can have dangerous side effects. Personally, I would only take an iron supplement on the advice of my doctor, and you might be wise to do the same.

Zinc is known to be important for maintenance of healthy immune system function, and is also thought to be important in the maintenance of healthy hair. In fact, severe zinc deficiency can actually be a cause of a form of sudden hair loss that is reversible, once the zinc deficiency is treated. Foods to be on the lookout for in the search for adequate zinc intake include eggs, oysters, wheat germ, and pumpkin seeds

Protein is one of the most essential building blocks for healthy cells of all kinds, including healthy skin and hair. Inadequate protein intake can result in poor health in general, and unhealthy hair, as well. Foods that are high in protein include eggs, most nuts and beans of all types, and meats such as beef, chicken, and turkey. By the way, most topical scalp and hair treatments and even hair conditioners, are very high in protein, because of its importance to healthy hair.

Do You Need Vitamins? This is by no means a comprehensive nutritional guide for healthy hair, but simply a summary of some of the more commonly known nutrients that are thought to be essential to the maintenance of healthy hair. Many people think that the "average American diet" is adequate to provide all the vitamins and minerals we need, but the fact is, it probably is not, and very few people really eat a healthy diet.

Remember when you were in school and they taught us all about the basic food groups, and how many portions of each we should eat each day? Few of us do that. You will notice that fruits and vegetables are mentioned in nearly every paragraph above, and many are also known to have antioxidant properties, which can be beneficial to long-term health. Yet few people eat enough fruits and vegetables on a daily basis, much less the other foods mentioned above.

Whether or not you need a daily vitamin supplement to ensure adequate intake is a personal decision and one in which you may wish to seek the guidance of your physician, especially if you have any chronic medical conditions that might contraindicate the use of certain vitamins, or actually be the cause of certain vitamin deficiencies that could be contributing to hair loss, or hindering your efforts at hair restoration. While vitamins are not truly natural hair loss remedies for most people, in some cases taking vitamins for hair loss prevention is a good idea. Consult your physician or a registered dietician for more information.

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