Hair loss is painful! If you are eager to know what vitamin deficiency causes hair loss, you get a list of essential vitamin deficiencies that cause hair loss.
Undoubtedly, not just hair but even the entire body requires vitamins and minerals to process the cell growth of organs and effective body functions.
Let’s look at what vitamins lack causes hair loss.
Content Of The Article
What Vitamin Deficiency Causes Hair Loss: 9 Crucial Vitamins
Here is a list of crucial vitamin deficiencies that cause hair loss.
1. Biotin
Of all the B-category vitamins, biotin (aka B7) is the vitamin that connects to hair loss. Biotin is the most vital vitamin for hair growth.
Lack of biotin leads to hair loss.
Many studies show that biotin intake helps eradicate hair loss and promotes hair regrowth.
It also prevents nails from becoming brittle and reduces blood sugar in diabetic people.
Foods that contain much biotin are:
- Egg Yolk
- Banana
- Sweet potatoes
- Peanuts
- Mushrooms
- Broccoli
- Avocado
2. Vitamin D
Vitamin D is vital for creating new hair and promoting dormant hair follicles. It is essential for hair growth.
It also helps keep the skin and bones healthy.
Heather Hanks, a nutritionist from Lifeinsurancestar, says, “Vitamin D deficiency triggers hair loss, specifically in people with androgenetic alopecia, telogen effluvium – hair loss caused due to stress, and alopecia areata.”
Research says that consuming Vitamin D helps treat hair loss for people with these conditions.
Along with hair loss, Vitamin D deficiency causes fatigue, muscle weakness, mood swings, and high blood pressure.
Foods that contain adequate Vitamin D are:
- Egg Yolks
- Mushroom
- Salmon
- Spinach
- Soybeans
- COD Liver Oil
Vitamin D supplement pills are also an alternative to getting Vitamin D in our bodies.
3. Vitamin C
Vitamin C is crucial for producing collagen, which is key to healthy hair growth. It consists of abundant antioxidants that help the absorption of Zinc by the body and helps treat hair loss.
It also removes dandruff flakes from the scalp, prevents premature greying, and prevents hair from weak, brittle and thin growth.
It nourishes the hair follicles and strengthens them.
Vitamin C is available in foods like:
- citrus fruits such as orange and lemon
- strawberries
- broccoli
- potatoes
- pepper
- cherries
You can even get it using a Vitamin C supplement pill.
4. Vitamin E
Vitamin E is a powerhouse for antioxidants that protects body cells from damage. It reduces oxidative stress on the scalp and helps hair growth.
Lack of vitamin E leads to hair breakage and excess hair loss.
Vitamin E is also known for healing skin-related issues. It has nourishing and hydrating effects on the skin.
The scalp is also a skin layer, where vitamin E is a protective barrier to the scalp, keeping hair healthy and hydrated.
Vitamin E can be found in foods like:
- Sunflower Oil
- Almonds
- Peanuts
- Leafy Vegetables
- Pumpkin
- Red Bell Pepper
If you find it hard to get sufficient Vitamin E through foods, you can get it through supplements.
5. Selenium
Selenium is a crucial mineral that supports healthy hair growth. But too much of selenium can cause hair loss. Therefore, it should be taken to a limit.
It has exceptional antioxidant properties that help the body’s metabolic functioning, resulting in hormonal balance and less hair loss and stimulates hair regrowth.
Selenium deficiency leads can lead to negative immune functioning and serious health issues.
Therefore, it is essential, and lack of selenium causes hair loss.
Foods that consist of selenium are:
- chicken
- fish
- eggs
- pork
- beef
- beans and nuts
- Brazil nuts
6. Zinc
Zinc is an impeccable mineral that has immense health benefits. It is essential for tissue growth and restoration.
Zinc regulates the oil glands around hair follicles, working at the desired capacity. Its deficiency is mostly found in people with eating disorders and consuming cereals heavily.
The body requires Zinc only in minute amounts, but excess zinc intake can cause hair loss.
It also supports biochemical processes and regulates cell production, hormone levels and protein synthesis.
A deficiency of Zinc can cause telogen effluvium or brittle hair. As Zinc regulates hormone levels, it helps treat hair loss.
Zinc is also vital for DNA and RNA synthesis, helps rapid follicle growth and helps stabilize cell growth.
Add these foods to your diet to get Zinc.
- Meat
- Legumes
- Nuts like peanuts
- eggs
- beans
- Avocados
You can get it through supplements as well.
7. Iron
Iron is needed by the body to produce hemoglobin, which delivers nutrients and oxygen to the cells.
In case of iron deficiency, your body delivers oxygen only to the primary organs and cannot be able to serve secondary organs like the scalp, which leads to hair loss.
Studies say low iron levels are a risk factor for hair loss in non-menopausal women. Iron participates in various psychologic processes within the hair follicle, showing that iron deficiency could stop hair synthesis.
Iron deficiency may be key in chronic telogen effluvium or female patterned hair loss.
Therefore, iron is essential for healthy hair growth. Ensure to keep your iron levels high.
Here are some foods that give you enough iron.
- Beans
- Dried apricots
- Red meat
- Soybean flour
- Nuts
- Spinach
- Pumpkin seeds
You can also use iron supplements.
8. Vitamin A
Vitamin A has unique traits for hair loss. It is essential for both the immune system health that protects hair follicles and cell growth and division processes for hair.
Research says that vitamin A can help you stop hair loss and keep the hair on your head.
Vitamin A is essential for cell growth, which also helps your hair grow. Skin glands utilize vitamin A to produce sebum.
The sebum is responsible for keeping the scalp moisturized and keeping hair healthy.
However, an overdose of vitamin A can cause hair loss.
Consuming alcohol and smoking can be a reason for vitamin A deficiency. Lack of vitamin A leads to weak hair, impaired vision, dry eyes, conjunctivitis and a weak immune system.
Get it through vitamin A supplement pills or from foods like:
- Carrots
- Sweet Potatoes
- Dried apricots
- Tuna
- Mango
- Kale
9. Folic Acid
Folic acid can be seen in various health supplements as it supports the body’s overall functioning.
It stimulates cell growth, resulting in boosting hair growth. It also has anti-inflammatory properties that prevent greying of hair follicles by stabilizing oxygen levels.
Folic acid helps to promote hair regrowth and also adds volume to it. It helps in the keratinization of hair during active hair growth.
It also helps follicles shine by distributing nutrients throughout the body, including the scalp.
Foods that contain Folic acid are:
- Eggs
- Beans
- Legumes
- Spinach
- Asparagus
- Peanuts
So these are the essential vitamin deficiencies that cause hair loss.
What Causes Vitamin Deficiency?
Here are some primary reasons that contribute to vitamin deficiency.
Lack Of Proper Food Intake
As vitamins and minerals are essential for the body, you can get them through healthy, nutritional and fresh food.
Lack of proper food leads to vitamin deficiency. Consuming unhealthy, preserved and junk foods cannot provide the body with essential vitamins and minerals.
They are more harmful in the long run, and you cannot benefit from these foods. Stay away from unhealthy foods.
Being A Vegetarian Or Vegan
You get this vitamin deficiency when you are completely a vegetarian or vegan who is dairy-free.
Meat contains various nutrients and proteins that are hard to find in the other vegetarian substitutes.
Eggs contain multiple vitamins, which you will miss when you don’t eat eggs.
Milk and milk products contain calcium and proteins essential for the body.
However, you must add substitutes with similar nutritional values that you can happily eat to your diet.
Smoking
Smoking adversely affects and lowers the vitamin levels in your body.
It lowers the levels of Vitamin C and B-carotene in plasma. Cadmium, found in tobacco, reduces the bioavailability of selenium and acts against Zinc.
Studies have proven that nicotine diminishes vitamin and mineral absorption by the body.
So, we suggest you quit smoking (in case you smoke) immediately.
Alcohol Consumption
Alcohol disrupts nutrient absorption by destroying the cells connecting to the stomach and intestine and disables nutrient transport to the blood.
It also decreases the liver storage of vitamins such as Vitamin A.
The major vitamin deficiencies in alcohol consumption are folic acid, vitamin B6, thiamine and vitamin A.
Consuming alcohol also has adverse effects on the kidneys and immune system. So, kindly quit consuming alcohol.
How Vitamin Deficiency Causes Hair Loss?
Vitamins, minerals and nutrients all play a predominant role in the effective functioning of the body. It also includes the hair health and growth process, from the development to the rapid growth of the follicle.
Several technical studies prove that vitamin deficiency causes hair loss.
The structure supply to the hair follicles is done through vitamins, and the lack of vitamins stops this supply of structure and causes hair loss.
Vitamin deficiency not only hinders hair growth but also becomes a risk factor in preventing hair loss or thinning.
Want to know how to regain hair loss from stress? Read it here!
Measures For Vitamin Deficiency And Hair Loss
Here are the best measures to regain vitamin levels and hair growth.
1. Balanced And Nutritional Diet
A balanced and nutritious diet is the ultimate way to regain vitamin levels and regrow your hair.
You shall add multivitamin foods like eggs, meat, and beans.
Avoiding junk and preserved foods can make you even healthy. Add high-nutritional vegetarian substitute foods for food items like meat and eggs to your diet in case you are a vegetarian or vegan.
Some good substitutes are sprouts, dry nuts, and beans.
Measure your calories and eat accordingly to eat the sufficient food required by your body. Eat on time and at regular intervals for a better immune system.
2. Exercise
Exercise can help you get out of vitamin deficiency and hair loss.
When your body has excess fat, it’s difficult for the body cells to absorb nutrients and supply energy to the organs.
Exercise is essential to burn fat in your body so that vitamins get effectively absorbed by the body.
The intense exercise also lets immense blood rush throughout the body, including the scalp, enabling hair growth.
So, exercise is a great way to restore vitamin levels and promote hair growth.
3. Quit Alcohol And Smoking
Consuming alcohol and smoking tobacco has adverse effects on your organs. You shall stop these to get back your vitamin levels and hair.
They reduce the nutrient absorption capacity of your body and make you weak.
If you find it hard, you can get the help of de-addiction supplements.
4. Supplements
When your body cannot get the required amount of vitamins from your food, you can get them through supplements.
Using Vitamin Supplements
There are supplement capsules for almost every vitamin you lack, and you can get them from a pharma store.
Use them scarcely and do not overuse them because too much consumption of any vitamin is unhealthy.
Use it accordingly as your medical advisor prescribes.
Note: To know what vitamin deficiencies you lack, you shall get your general tests done and be aware of what you lack.
Using Dietary Hair Growth Supplement
Dietary hair growth supplements contain vital vitamins for combating hair loss and promoting hair regrowth.
They have a unique formula with essential vitamins to support hair growth.
Most of them are safe to use, as they are made under FDA-approved and GMP-certified facilities.
Checkout our recommended dietary hair growth supplement.
Using Topical Supplements
Topical supplements are a great alternative to regrow hair. They work directly on the scalp and restore the scalp and follicle condition.
The vitamins and minerals of the solution repair the dead cells and activate the blood flow to the scalp and moisturize it, making it healthy enough to produce new hair follicles and promote growth to the dormant follicles.
Checkout our recommended topical hair growth supplement.
So this is all about what vitamin deficiency causes hair loss. Here are the final words.
Final Verdict
Vitamins and minerals are crucial not only for hair but also for the entire functioning of the body.
Maintaining healthy levels of them is essential for a healthy metabolism.
Eat a nutritious, balanced diet, and exercise regularly to avoid vitamin deficiency and stop hair loss.
Avoid high-calorie, unhealthy, and processed foods to stay away from illness. Keep a count of your calories to avoid being overweight.
Quit alcohol and smoking tobacco as soon as possible to regain your health.
Stay Healthy And Get Your Vitamin Levels Back And your Hair As Well!
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