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Sea Kelp & Faster Hair Growth

Sea kelp includes all the sea vegetables that have been a part of the diets of many cultures for centuries. They are an excellent source of B-complex vitamins and minerals such as iodine, magnesium, zinc and calcium. Sea kelp is also very high in vitamin K. The combination of vitamins and minerals in sea kelp makes it extremely nutritional, and may help to grow hair faster due to the nutrients and also due to the iodine's affect on the thyroid gland.

  1. Sea Kelp

    • Sea kelp includes all sorts of seaweed, from Japanese wakame and arame to Irish dulse. People who have lived by the sea have taken advantage of this source of nutrition for centuries. Eaten in salads, cooked in soup, used as stock or eaten dried, it is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals. Sea kelp also comes in a supplement form, which makes it convenient and also easy to regulate the amount of each mineral you are ingesting. If, for example, you are worried about the high levels of iodine in kelp, take a sea kelp supplement with a doctor's supervision.

    Vitamin B Complex

    • Sea kelp contains vitamin B complex, including a high level of folic acid, which is essential for fast hair growth. The vitamin B complex includes insitol, choline, folic acid and antithetic acid, all essential to good hair growth and health. The B vitamins work to increase the rate of metabolism, which can affect the rate of hair growth. They also are essential to cell growth and division, which is also important to new hair growth. According to HolisticOnline.com, when rats were denied insitol and biotin, they became hairless. When they were given B vitamins again, their hair was restored.

    Magnesium

    • Also abundant in sea kelp is magnesium, another important nutrient for hair growth. This mineral needs to be kept in balance with calcium. Calcium levels can become elevated due to many factors common in the modern diet, such as an abundance of refined sugar. If calcium levels are too high, it can block the absorption of magnesium. Most Americans consume low levels of magnesium, according to the National Institutes of Health.

    Zinc

    • Zinc is another mineral found in sea kelp and is excellent for hair growth. Zinc deficiency results in thin and fine hair. According to HairLossBuddy.com, zinc helps by building cells, keeping hormones in check and also helping out with how the body uses protein. All of these things promote hair growth. Zinc seems to regulate levels of DHT, or dihydrotestosterone, the male hormone responsible for hair loss. As noted on HairLossBuddy.com, the important thing with zinc and all nutrients is to get the proper balance.

    Iodine

    • Sea kelp contains a high concentration of iodine. Because many people are worried that they may consume too much iodine, consulting a naturopathic doctor for advice before taking sea kelp supplements may be a good idea. Iodine regulates the thyroid hormone, thyroxin. This hormone in turn helps to regulate how long hair stays in its dormant stage. The shorter the amount of time that hair stays dormant, the faster and longer it grows.

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