What Supplements Help With Thinning Hair?

Thinning hair can be caused by a variety of facotrs including stress, disease, genetics and hormone imbalances. For men, thinning hair is often a sign of male pattern baldness, a genetic disease that is best treated with your doctor's help. Women often experience thinning hair as a result of hairstyling, pregnancy, general life stress, hormone imbalances and dieting. In these circumstances, taking the right supplements can help halt and reverse the thinning process.

Iron

• An iron deficiency can cause a woman's body to stop producing hair altogether until her iron levels are back to normal. The normal shedding process becomes more pronounced because new hair growth has halted and old hairs are thrown prematurely into the resting phase, leading to their being shed sooner.

  According to the Merck Online Medical Library, menstrual bleeding is the most common cause of iron deficiency in premenopausal women. An iron deficiency is easily corrected with an iron supplement; in extreme cases doctors can recommend 50 milligrams daily until hair is back to normal---generally in two to three months.

Vitamin C

• Vitamin C has been highly touted for its role in protecting cells from damage by free radicals, the byproducts of normal cell activity that can be damaging to otherwise healthy cells. Vitamin C is also a necessary component of the body's ability to create and repair skin, bone and connective tissue. For people suffering from an iron deficiency, vitamin C helps the body absorb iron from supplements and iron-rich foods like spinach, beans and beef. At least 100 milligrams of vitamin C should be taken with iron supplements.

Zinc

• Zinc has become associated with preventing and/or curing the common cold because of its use in drugstore cold medicines. Zinc, however, is a mineral found in many systems throughout the body and is necessary for healthy skin and hair. Zinc is not created by the body and must be obtained through nutrition and supplements. Symptoms of a zinc deficiency include sluggishness, loss of appetite and hair loss. 30 milligrams of zinc daily can help with hair loss.

Biotin and Other B Vitamins

• Biotin is one of the several B vitamins thought to be connected with many body functions such as metabolism, the formation of red blood cells and hair growth. Symptoms of biotin deficiency include brittle nails and hair. The medical community has not reached a consensus on a recommended dose to combat biotin deficiency; however, individual doctors have suggested doses between 10 to 30 milligrams, and the U.S. recommended daily allowance is 300 micrograms daily.

Considerations

• Thinning hair can be an early indicator of several major diseases, including diabetes and lupus. If you experience an extended period of hair thinning or loss, you should seek medical evaluation. A daily multivitamin supplement will provide the U.S. recommended daily allowance of most of the vitamins and minerals mentioned in this article. Discuss your supplemental regimen with your doctor prior to taking doses that exceed the RDA, to ensure that these dosages will not interfere or adversely interact with any prescription medications you may be taking.