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How Much Protein to Prevent Hair Loss?

It is normal to shed 50 to 100 hairs per day, according to USA Today's Health Scout. When these hairs fall from your head, new hairs should be waiting directly beneath the scalp's surface, ready to replace them. But some conditions can cause an increase of hair loss, including aging, childbirth, thyroid disease, high fevers, major surgeries, medications and an inadequate consumption of protein. Consuming the correct amount of protein is an easy fix for this type of hair loss.

  1. Why We Need It

    • Hair is actually made of the same type of protein that is found in your nails. You obtain protein through the foods you eat, and a large amount of this protein is used to keep your hair and nails strong and healthy. When you don't consume enough protein, your body tries to save the protein it does have by sending hair follicles into a resting phase. Therefore, hairs can fall out before they are scheduled to, and another hair isn't always ready to grow in its place.

    How Much We Need

    • According to an MSN Health article, an average adult should consume about 50 grams of protein daily, which should represent about 10 percent of their total calories. An average person with a normal appetite and access to food should be able to consume that much, which makes inadequate protein intake an uncommon cause of hair loss. It's easy to consume enough protein from meals alone, without any type of protein supplement. For example, a turkey sandwich, one glass of milk and one cup of yogurt are enough protein for a day.

    How to Consume Enough

    • According to USA Today's Health Scout, many crash dieters, vegetarians or abnormal eaters don't get enough protein in their diets. In order to obtain the amount of protein you need, incorporate protein-rich foods into all your meals, including meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, yogurt, cheese, beans, tofu, whole grains and nuts. According to solveyourproblem.com, anyone eating a standard Western diet should be obtaining enough protein. For vegans or vegetarians, tofu, soybeans and protein shakes are sufficient options to add to your diet.

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