Iron deficiency is common, and iron deficiency can lead to hair loss. Iron deficiency can even lead to hair loss when the typical iron deficiency symptoms such as anemia, lack of concentration and tiredness are not yet clearly noticeable. In the event of hair loss, you should therefore always check your mineral supply and think about an iron deficiency. Because if your hair loss is the result of an iron deficiency, the problem can be quickly corrected and hair growth will soon start again.
Hair loss due to lack of iron?
Full, healthy hair is an outward sign of beauty and health. But what to do when the full head of hair is disappearing? First of all, it is important to look for the cause and find out the type of hair loss.
One of the possible causes of hair loss could be iron deficiency – research shows. Hair loss can often occur even with a low level of iron deficiency, i.e. before the typical iron deficiency symptoms such as tiredness and exhaustion are noticeable.
Think of iron if you have hair loss
Iron is an essential trace element. It must therefore be ingested regularly with food. Women need about 15 mg iron, men about 10 mg iron per day. In addition, humans lose around 2 mg of iron every day through various metabolic tasks.
A balanced diet with iron-rich foods usually provides enough iron (dark green salads and leafy vegetables, legumes, nuts, pumpkin seeds, etc.). Nevertheless, iron deficiency is very common, even among those who eat meat, which is considered to be rich in iron. However, with 2 mg iron per 100 g, muscle meat is not as rich in iron as one might think. Millet (cooked) or wholemeal rye bread with approx. 2.6 mg are even richer in iron – unless of course, someone eats meat in larger quantities. In smaller consumption quantities, only organ meats such as liver and kidneys would be rich in iron (approx. 6 mg).
In addition to a low-iron diet, menstrual bleeding or pregnancy can of course also increase the risk of iron deficiency in women. So if you notice hair loss in yourself, you should definitely have a blood test done and your iron levels checked.
And as we know today – if you take high amounts of Zinc, you might lower your Copper levels which in turn will lower your Iron.
Test iron levels for hair loss
Normal iron levels in men are 50 to 160 micrograms per deciliter of blood. For women, healthy levels are between 50 and 150 micrograms per deciliter of blood. If the values are below this, one speaks of an iron deficiency. However, the iron values can change depending on the form of the day, which is why it is better to measure the ferritin values.
Ferritin is the storage form of iron. This value can also reveal a gradual, i.e. hidden, iron deficiency, while the other iron values are often inconspicuous. But even such a minor iron deficiency can manifest itself in hair loss.
In some cases, it can also make sense to determine the transferrin value and the transferrin saturation. Transferrin is the transport form of iron.
Study on hair loss in iron deficiency
Dermatologists at the Cleveland Clinic (Ohio/USA) wanted to find out if there was a connection between iron deficiency and hair loss ( 1 ).
Dr Wilma Bergfeld led the study, which was published in the May 2006 issue of the Journal of American Academy of Dermatology. The research team looked at all scientific publications on the subject over the last four decades.
The findings show that there may be a greater connection between iron deficiency and hair loss than previously thought. The researchers also reported that hair growth could be stimulated again if the iron deficiency is compensated for by changing the diet or using suitable preparations.
When iron deficiency leads to hair loss
With the help of the ferritin values, early forms of iron deficiency can not only be detected, but also treated immediately including hair loss.
“If doctors would immediately think of iron deficiency when hair loss occurs, they would be in a much better position to help affected patients more effectively and quickly in order to get hair growth going again,” explained Dr. mountain field. “We believe that iron deficiency may be linked to many different forms of hair loss, and we also believe that much greater iron stores are required to reactivate hair growth than previously thought.”
Eliminate Iron Deficiency – Stop Hair Loss
However, it is not recommended to immediately resort to iron preparations in the event of hair loss of any kind. Excess iron can also have fatal consequences. Not only does the body age faster, but it can also damage the heart.
If you suspect hair loss due to iron deficiency, have your doctor or naturopath determine your iron blood values. Only then can it possibly make sense to take a suitable preparation. Above all, think of chelated iron, which can be absorbed very easily through the intestinal mucosa – without the digestive problems that are often so typical of conventional iron supplements.
Or do an rectal implant with a liquid iron supplement – this way you bypass the digestive system all together.
In any case, a change in eating habits should be made in order to continue to absorb sufficient iron in the future and to harmonize and regenerate the digestive tract in such a way that the iron can actually be absorbed.
Diet for iron deficiency
Iron is not only found in meat, but also in dark green vegetables, pumpkin seeds, amaranth and quinoa. So eat a lot of greens every day: Spinach, lamb’s lettuce, kale, Chinese cabbage, broccoli, rocket and many other varieties offer enough iron.
For example, 150 grams of spinach contains 5 mg of iron. This corresponds to around 50 percent of the daily requirement of an adult man. If you drink a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice with the spinach dish, the iron in the spinach can also be better absorbed, since vitamin C promotes the absorption of iron from plant-based foods.
Also avoid coffee, black tea, cocoa and dairy products. They would inhibit iron absorption.
And if you take Zinc, make sure you eat copper-rich foods too to help with your Iron levels.
You will see that not only will your hair grow back strong and healthy (if the hair loss was due to iron deficiency), but you will also feel fitter and more powerful overall.
Don’t forget to check out our other articles on how to have beautiful hair!
