Nutrients for healthy and happy hair
Like any part of the human body, our hair relies on nutrients as the building blocks to support growth & maintenance. Unfortunately, many of the nutrients your hair needs are nutrients that we tend to be deficient in!
Wondering which vitamins and minerals your hair needs to be lush, healthy, strong and shiny? Here are the nutrients I investigate whenever my clients come to me with hair-related concerns.
Nutrients for healthy and happy hair – a naturopath’s top tips
Iron
One of the most important forms of nourishment for the hair comes through the transport of nutrients and oxygen to the follicles. And a key nutrient for this process is iron.
However, I don’t just look at your iron alone – it’s important to assess the full iron panel, particularly ferritin (the storage form of iron). If your ferritin is low, your stores are depleted.
To boost up your iron, I recommend:
Red meat 3 times per week (if part of your diet)
Liver
Oysters
Apricots
Parsley
Combining high-iron foods with high vitamin C foods such as citrus fruit
Iron is a nutrient that always requires testing before adding in supplements. This is because high iron symptoms are very similar to low iron symptoms, and high iron can be incredibly dangerous! If you are taking iron supplements, make sure you are rechecking your levels regularly.
Zinc
Think of zinc as the ultimate healing nutrient. Whenever the body is inflamed, infected or injured in any way, zinc comes to the rescue. But this also goes for your hair – low zinc has been associated with hair loss and thinning. It also plays a role in many of the underlying drivers of hair loss and brittle hair.
To get some more zinc in, reach for:
Fish
Seafood such as oysters
Brazil nuts
Pecans
Sunflower seeds
Pumpkin seeds
PS – if you follow a plant-based diet, there’s a good chance your zinc intake is on the lower side. So you might need to consider a supplement to make up for this.
Iodine
Every cell in the body relies on thyroid function, and that includes the cells that support your hair! So it’s no surprise that iodine is a nutrient I consider whenever I see hair health concerns.
The best sources of dietary iodine include seafood, seaweed and shiitake mushrooms. However, supplementation may be recommended if your intake is low or if your tests reveal low levels.
Vitamin B12
Another nutrient involved in hair health is vitamin B12. It has multiple mechanisms in maintaining your hair, including involvement in the use of amino acids (your primary building block for hair) and the production of haemoglobin. For those who have methylation issues, B12 can also be particularly useful in supporting the methylation cycle.
If you have low levels of this vitamin, you can experience hair issues including thinning hair, premature hair greying and hair loss.
The best sources of B12 are animal-based products, particularly:
Red meat
Eggs
Fish & seafood
If you don’t consume animal products, supplementation is likely to be warranted to prevent deficiency. It can be difficult (although not completely impossible!) to get sufficient B12 through a plant-based diet alone.
However, it’s important to note that if your B12 levels & intake are fine, there is no need to add it as a supplement.
Collagen
When it comes to the world of beauty, collagen can be quite controversial! One reason for this is that different collagen peptides can have different effects within the body.
However, there is some promising research in the world of Verisol collagen. One small study found that after taking Verisol collagen for 16 weeks, hair significantly thickened compared to a placebo group. There was also a significant increase in cell proliferation rate.
Essential fatty acids
Omega-3, omega-6 and other fatty acids all play a role in healthy, shiny hair. They are involved in processes including promotion of healthy hair growth, reducing inflammation, hydrating scalp cells and managing underlying chronic causes of hair concerns.
Boost up your EFAs by including more:
Fatty fish such as salmon
Nuts such as walnuts
Flaxseeds/linseeds
Chia seeds
Avocado
In many cases, a high-quality essential fatty acid supplement may be a good addition. However, it’s best done with the assistance of a qualified practitioner who can assess which essential fatty acids will benefit you most and in what quantities.
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