Grow your hair with good nutrition

We all want strong hair, but achieving that healthy glow goes beyond just picking the right shampoo. It starts from within—through proper nutrition. You might have heard the phrase, “You are what you eat,” and it’s especially true when it comes to your hair. In this post, we’ll explore how the foods you eat, or don’t eat, affect hair health, and we’ll dive into the scientific research backing it all.
Hair: The Body’s Last Nutrient Stop
Before we get into the food aspect, here’s something interesting—did you know that your hair and nails are lower on the body’s nutrient priority list? When your body is under stress or experiences a nutrient deficiency, it prioritizes vital organs like the heart, brain, and lungs over non-essential tissues like your hair and nails. This means that your hair is often the first to show signs of trouble when your nutrition is lacking.
As Dr. Malkud explains in the review article Telogen Effluvium: A Review (2015), hair follicles are sensitive to changes in your body’s internal environment. When you’re stressed, ill, or experiencing nutrient deficiency, the body may redirect nutrients away from the hair, leading to a condition called telogen effluvium, where hair follicles prematurely enter the resting phase. This results in hair thinning and shedding .
Why Nutrition is Critical for Hair Growth
Your hair needs specific vitamins and minerals to thrive. If you’re lacking these nutrients, your hair can suffer. According to Almohanna et al., in The Role of Vitamins and Minerals in Hair Loss: A Review (2019), vitamins like A, D, E, biotin, iron, and zinc play a crucial role in hair growth. Without enough of these, hair quality can deteriorate, and hair loss may occur .
For example, a deficiency in iron can limit oxygen supply to hair follicles, which may stunt hair growth. Similarly, a lack of biotin, a B vitamin, can lead to brittle hair and even hair loss. The bottom line? Your hair needs a variety of vitamins and minerals from your diet to stay healthy.
How Stress and Illness Affect Hair Health
It’s not just poor nutrition that affects your hair. Stress and certain illnesses can also take a toll. When your body undergoes stress—whether physical (illness) or emotional—it can trigger hair shedding. This occurs because the body prioritizes essential survival functions over “non-essential” areas like hair growth. Dr. Bergfeld‘s review on Telogen Effluvium (2001) highlights how stress and illness can disrupt the normal hair growth cycle, causing an increase in hair shedding due to the hair follicles entering the resting (telogen) phase too soon .
Should You Take Supplements?
With all the buzz about supplements, you might wonder if popping a pill can solve your hair woes. While supplements can help in certain cases, they aren’t a magic solution for everyone. The best approach is to focus on getting your nutrients from a balanced diet. Over-reliance on supplements can lead to imbalances and even health risks.
If you are considering supplements, it’s a good idea to seek advice from a healthcare professional, like a nutritionist, who can assess your needs. According to Almohanna et al. (2019), supplementation should be targeted, based on individual deficiencies, and doesn’t need to be lifelong .
Tips for a Hair-Healthy Diet
To support hair health, aim to include the following nutrients in your diet:
- Protein: Hair is made of a protein called keratin. Make sure you’re eating enough protein-rich foods like fish, eggs, and legumes.
- Iron: Found in spinach and lean meats, iron helps transport oxygen to your hair follicles.
- Zinc: This mineral is essential for hair tissue growth and repair, found in foods like seeds, nuts, and whole grains.
- Vitamin D: Known to create new hair follicles, it’s found in fatty fish like mackarel.
- Biotin: A B-vitamin that strengthens hair, available in eggs, nuts, and sweet potatoes.
Balance is Key
The secret to healthy hair doesn’t lie in a single product or supplement. It’s about nourishing your body with a balanced diet, managing stress, and ensuring your body gets all the nutrients it needs for vital functions—and your hair. Before reaching for supplements, consider consulting a healthcare professional to see if they’re necessary and what works best for your body.
By taking care of your overall health, you’ll not only feel better, but you’ll see the results reflected in your hair.
References:
- Malkud, S. (2015). Telogen Effluvium: A Review. Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research, 9(9), WE01–WE03. doi: 10.7860/JCDR/2015/15219.6492.
- Almohanna, H. M., Ahmed, A. A., Tsatalis, J. P., & Tosti, A. (2019). The Role of Vitamins and Minerals in Hair Loss: A Review. Dermatology and Therapy (Heidelberg), 9(1), 51–70. doi: 10.1007/s13555-018-0278-6.
- Bergfeld, W. F. (2001). Telogen effluvium: A review. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 44(5), 837-846.