Vitamin Deficiency and Hair Loss - Fact or Fiction?
I recently was doing some research for one of my websites when I ran across and article proclaiming that vitamin deficiency and hair loss was a myth. Not having heard this before I was inclined to read the article which basically claimed that other more important factors were the instigators with vitamin deficiency simply being present. While I do understand their school or thought it simply is not true and here is why.
What you see when you look in the mirror and examine your hair is simply the hair shaft or what is the byproduct of a series of events that takes place under the surface of the scalp called the dermis. The root which resides in the dermis is nourished by the blood stream to produce new hair. The hair shaft itself is a combination of the protein keratin and dead hair cells which grow at the rate of about 6 inches a year.
Now can back to our topic of can vitamin deficiency and hair loss.
Some believe that the most important vitamins for promoting healthy hair growth are biotin (vitamin H) and the B complex. Biotin is found in various foods including liver, salmon, bananas, and carrots and aids the action of various enzymes in the cells. Another important function of biotin in relation to hair health is that it facilitates the formation of proteins from amino acids. Remove biotin from the diet and all of the sudden vital proteins needed for hair growth are reduced and additionally the hair re-growth enzymes located in the scalp may not function properly.
The B vitamin complex (which some include biotin) helps the body to metabolize carbohydrates, fats, and protein and build red blood cells and are important to nerve and muscle function. A combination of folic acid (B9), B6, and B12 have been shown to reduce the levels of a type of amino acid known as a Homocysteine, which when elevated leads to increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
So it is easy to see how a perfect storm could occur, reducing protein levels needed for hair growth, reducing blood flow to the scalp, and reducing the scalp enzymes ability to function. I would venture to say under these circumstances not only would your hair fall out, but in rapid fashion.
The good news in relation to vitamin deficiency and hair loss is that as long as there isn't an underlying condition which is damaging the hair follicles your hair will naturally grow back once the imbalance is corrected.
What Next? If you are not eating right and are seeing a shower full of lost hair every day simply start eating better and consider taking a daily multivitamin supplement to correct any nutritional deficiencies. On the other if you suspect vitamin deficiency is not the only cause you should take steps determine the cause or causes. The most common underlying cause of balding in both men and women is androgenetic alopecia. This is an androgen hormone driven condition with a genetic backdrop that will not reverse itself without treatment. The good news is there are a number of
hair re-growth products [http://www.best-baldness-solution.com] specifically formulated to treat this condition. If caught early it can be slowed or reversed allowing you to keep your hair for many years to come.
What you see when you look in the mirror and examine your hair is simply the hair shaft or what is the byproduct of a series of events that takes place under the surface of the scalp called the dermis. The root which resides in the dermis is nourished by the blood stream to produce new hair. The hair shaft itself is a combination of the protein keratin and dead hair cells which grow at the rate of about 6 inches a year.
Now can back to our topic of can vitamin deficiency and hair loss.
Some believe that the most important vitamins for promoting healthy hair growth are biotin (vitamin H) and the B complex. Biotin is found in various foods including liver, salmon, bananas, and carrots and aids the action of various enzymes in the cells. Another important function of biotin in relation to hair health is that it facilitates the formation of proteins from amino acids. Remove biotin from the diet and all of the sudden vital proteins needed for hair growth are reduced and additionally the hair re-growth enzymes located in the scalp may not function properly.
The B vitamin complex (which some include biotin) helps the body to metabolize carbohydrates, fats, and protein and build red blood cells and are important to nerve and muscle function. A combination of folic acid (B9), B6, and B12 have been shown to reduce the levels of a type of amino acid known as a Homocysteine, which when elevated leads to increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
So it is easy to see how a perfect storm could occur, reducing protein levels needed for hair growth, reducing blood flow to the scalp, and reducing the scalp enzymes ability to function. I would venture to say under these circumstances not only would your hair fall out, but in rapid fashion.
The good news in relation to vitamin deficiency and hair loss is that as long as there isn't an underlying condition which is damaging the hair follicles your hair will naturally grow back once the imbalance is corrected.
What Next? If you are not eating right and are seeing a shower full of lost hair every day simply start eating better and consider taking a daily multivitamin supplement to correct any nutritional deficiencies. On the other if you suspect vitamin deficiency is not the only cause you should take steps determine the cause or causes. The most common underlying cause of balding in both men and women is androgenetic alopecia. This is an androgen hormone driven condition with a genetic backdrop that will not reverse itself without treatment. The good news is there are a number of
hair re-growth products [http://www.best-baldness-solution.com] specifically formulated to treat this condition. If caught early it can be slowed or reversed allowing you to keep your hair for many years to come.
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