Nutrients and Hair Loss

Hair and skin are made of a pigment called melanin. As people age, the number of melanin pigments in hair decreases, causing hair to turn gray or white. Hair follicles produce thinner hair, and sometimes they stop producing hair altogether. Vitamins, minerals and hormones all affect how hair grows, and nutrients you take in can determine whether you suffer from hair loss.

Zinc

• Hair follicles need the right amount of nutrition to grow healthy hair. As you age, your body has a harder time processing nutrients from food. Zinc is the most important nutrient for hair growth, and it also keeps hair from turning gray. You can get zinc from wheat germ, pumpkin seeds, egg yolks, oysters, shrimp, mussels and brewer's yeast.

Vitamin E

• Vitamin E slows the aging process. According to studies cited in the book "Prevention's Healing with Vitamins", taking an 800 iu capsule of Vitamin E daily can prevent hair loss. Foods that contain a lot of Vitamin E include spinach, broccoli, eggs, brussels sprouts, soy beans and wheat germ.

Vitamin B

• Different forms of Vitamin B may improve hair strength, quality and growth. It can restore color and reduce stress to prevent hair loss. Vitamin B foods beneficial to your hair are liver, egg yolks, milk, whole grains, yeast, wheat germ and kidney beans.

Vitamin A

• Vitamin A may help hair produce enough oil to keep hair strands moist while keeping the oil from blocking pores. An antioxidant that may be good for the scalp, Vitamin A is found in carrots, leafy greens, milk, fish oil, meat, squash and pumpkin.

Protein

• Hair is made almost entirely of protein. Adding protein such as legumes, eggs, milk and red meat to your diet may increase the thickness of each hair strand. But don't eat too much protein --- hair could become brittle and dry, and too much fat can cause the scalp to produce so much oil that it blocks hair follicles and makes them weak. The right amount of protein makes hair strands stronger.