Hair loss can be quite depressing. To see strands of hair tangled in your comb every time you brush your hair is quite upsetting. Some people get so scared of excessive hair loss that they fear going bald. They spend a lot of money on expensive hair treatment and overpriced oils and cream, but science has an easy solution to solve your problem of hair thinning- improve your diet.
The study
As per a 2006 review of 40 years of research, a link has been found between hair loss and iron deficiency. Although, the research does not clearly establish that iron deficiency can cause hair fall. It has also been noticed that baldness or the problem of hair thinning is common in vegans or vegetarians as they do not eat animal-based food products, which are rich in iron. All in all, it cannot be ignored that hair loss is a sign of iron deficiency.
Why iron is beneficial for our body
Iron is necessary for the formation of red blood cells to form hemoglobin. This will eventually lead to the shortage of oxygen in the body, which is necessary for your hair to grow and repair itself. The deficiency of this nutrient is common in vegans and vegetarians. In such a condition, they need to eat more iron-rich food to meet their daily recommended iron intake level.
There are basically two types of iron:
1 Heme iron-found in animal-based food items.
2 Non-heme iron- found in both plant and animal-based food items.
A human body can absorb heme iron better than non-heme iron. This is the reason why vegetarians need almost double the amount of iron as compared to non-vegetarians. Broccoli, beans, dark leafy vegetables, and quinoa are some iron-rich food items.
You can also take iron supplements after consulting your doctor.
The bottom line
As said earlier, iron can’t be completely blamed for baldness or hair loss. Stress, ageing, medications, hormonal changes are a few other reasons. So, even if your hair thinning is not associated with iron deficiency, there is no harm in having a well-balanced diet.