| Having a luxurious head of hair is associated with | | | | yolks. |
| attractiveness, as evidenced by countless shampoo | | | | Vitamin B 6: Helps prevents hair loss and assists in the |
| advertisements with women swinging their thick, shiny | | | | production of melanin, which gives hair its color. Daily |
| head of hair around while groaning ecstatically! That's | | | | dose is 1.6 mg. Food sources include brewer's yeast, |
| not to mention scores of advertisements for | | | | whole grain cereals, vegetables and egg yolks. |
| prescription medications, over-the-counter creams and | | | | Vitamin B 12: Helps prevents hair loss. Daily dose is 2 |
| hair transplant surgeries. Many would be willing to stand | | | | mg. Food sources include fish and eggs. |
| on their heads in a bowl full of green Jell-O for 15 | | | | Vitamin C: This antioxidant maintains healthy skin and |
| minutes a day if they were told it would regrow their | | | | hair. Daily dose is 60 mg. Food sources include citrus |
| hair! | | | | fruits, strawberries, kiwi, cantaloupe, pineapple, |
| Most of us lose around 100 hairs a day - this is | | | | tomatoes, green peppers, potatoes and dark green |
| perfectly normal, as evidenced by your hairbrush! | | | | veggies. |
| However, at least 50 percent of all adults will | | | | Vitamin E: Does vitamin E promote hair growth? Well, |
| experience hair loss or thinning hair by age 60, and this | | | | this antioxidant does encourage scalp circulation. Daily |
| affects approximately 40 million men and 20 million | | | | dose is up to 400 IU. Food sources include |
| women. There are many types of hair loss: | | | | cold-pressed vegetable oils, wheat germ oil, soybeans, |
| Androgenetic alopecia, or pattern baldness. This is the | | | | raw seeds and nuts, dried beans, and leafy green |
| most common type of hair loss. Male pattern baldness | | | | veggies. |
| usually occurs in the front, crown and sides of the | | | | Biotin: Helps produce keratin, which may prevent |
| hairline. It's not uncommon for male hair loss to begin in | | | | graying and hair loss. Daily dose is 150 to 300 mcg. |
| the 20's. An androgen receptor gene on the X | | | | Food sources include brewer's yeast, whole grains, |
| chromosome explains why a man's baldness | | | | egg yolks and rice. |
| resembles that of his maternal grandfather more than | | | | Inositol: Keeps hair follicles healthy at the cellular level. |
| his father. However, baldness can be inherited from | | | | Daily dose is up to 600 mg. Food sources include |
| the mother's or father's side of the family with equal | | | | whole grains, brewer's yeast and citrus fruits. |
| frequency. Female thinning is most likely to occur on | | | | Calcium: An essential mineral that boosts hair growth. |
| the crown and in the front. In both men and women, | | | | Daily dose is up to 1,500 mg. Food sources include tofu, |
| this type of hair loss is heredity and permanent. | | | | fish, nuts, brewer's yeast, beans, lentils and sesame |
| The hormone dihydrotestosterone, or DHT, is also | | | | seeds. |
| related to male pattern baldness. DHT binds with | | | | Chromium: Helps prevent hyperglycemia and |
| receptor sites on hair follicle cells to cause balding and | | | | hypoglycemia, which can cause hair loss. Daily dose: |
| decreases the length of the hair growing cycle so that | | | | Up to 120 mg. Food sources include brewer's yeast |
| each new regeneration of hair becomes smaller and | | | | and whole wheat bread. |
| thinner. That's why you see so many advertisements | | | | Copper: Helps prevent hair loss and defects in color or |
| for hair loss products extolling their virtues as DHT | | | | structure. Daily dose is up to 3 mg; but more than that |
| blockers, such as Propecia. DHT blockers also include | | | | can lead to dry hair, hair loss and severe health |
| natural supplements for thinning hair such as saw | | | | problems. Food sources include shellfish, green |
| palmetto, nettles, pumpkin seed oil, green tea, emu oil, | | | | vegetables, whole grains, eggs and beans. |
| and soy isoflavones. | | | | Iodine: Prevents dry hair and hair loss. Daily dose is 150 |
| Telogen effluvium occurs in response to stress. This | | | | mcg. Food sources include fish, seaweed, kelp, iodized |
| can be triggered by childbirth, major surgery, serious | | | | salt and garlic. |
| psychological stress, or serious illness such as high | | | | Iron: Prevents hair loss. Daily dose is 15 mg. Food |
| fever or severe flu. However, hair loss may not occur | | | | sources include eggs, fish, whole grains, green |
| until three to six months following the stressful incident, | | | | vegetables and dried fruits. |
| so it's difficult to connect the stress with the loss. Hair | | | | Magnesium: This is one of the vitamins to regrow hair; |
| usually regrows within six to nine months. | | | | it works in tandem with calcium to promote healthy hair |
| Alopecia areata is temporary hair loss characterized | | | | growth. Daily dose is 280 mg. Food sources include |
| by round patches of hair falling out of the scalp. This | | | | green vegetables, wheat germ, whole grains, nuts, soy |
| hereditary disease of the immune system can affect | | | | beans, chickpeas and fish. |
| children or adults and is caused by white blood cells | | | | Potassium: This is another one of the vitamins that |
| attacking the hair follicle. | | | | make hair regrow; potassium promotes healthy hair |
| Hair loss can also be affected by these other factors: | | | | growth. Daily dose is 3,500 mg. Food sources include |
| · Side effects of medications or treatments, | | | | avocados, bananas, lima beans, brown rice, dates, figs, |
| including medications to treat arthritis, depression, heart | | | | dried fruit, garlic, nuts, potatoes, raisins, yams and |
| problems, high blood pressure and gout - plus | | | | yogurt. |
| chemotherapy and radiation therapy. | | | | Selenium: Keeps scalp supple and elastic. Daily dose is |
| · Symptoms of illness, such as diabetes, lupus or | | | | 55 mcg, but more than that can cause hair loss. Food |
| thyroid disorders. | | | | sources include brewer's yeast, grains, tuna and |
| · Overuse of hair treatments and products such | | | | broccoli. |
| as hair dye, permanents, straighteners, hot rollers, | | | | Silica: This natural supplement for thinning hair |
| curling irons and blow dryers. This is called traumatic | | | | strengthens hair and prevents hair loss. Daily dose is |
| alopecia. | | | | 55 mcg, but excessive amounts can lead to hair loss. |
| · Poor nutrition. This is especially true if you don't | | | | Food sources include seafood, rice, soybeans and |
| get enough protein or iron in your diet. | | | | green vegetables. |
| Given all this, is vitamin E good for hair? Despite what | | | | Sulfur: Sulfur is a main component in hair structure. |
| all those exciting commercials say, current research | | | | Daily dose is 1 to 3 g. Food sources include onions, |
| shows that there is no absolute direct correlation | | | | garlic, eggs, asparagus, fish and dairy products. |
| between taking vitamin supplements and permanent | | | | Zinc: Zinc works in tandem with vitamin A; a deficiency |
| hair regrowth. There's a popular misconception that | | | | in either can cause dry hair. Daily dose is 12 mg. Food |
| Vitamin E regrows hair. You can take all the Vitamin E | | | | sources include spinach, sunflower seeds, mushrooms, |
| supplements you want to, and even rub it on your | | | | whole grains and brewer's yeast. |
| head, but it won't magically transform you into a | | | | In addition to vitamins and minerals that boost hair |
| Muppet in dire need of a haircut! | | | | growth, you should also include omega-3 fatty acids in |
| However, non-hereditary hair loss is an indicator of | | | | your diet to prevent hair loss. Good sources include |
| poor health. As a result, you should ensure that you're | | | | wild Alaskan salmon, sardines, herring, mackerel, flax |
| eating a healthy diet and taking the right vitamins and | | | | seeds and walnuts. |
| minerals that help to prevent hair loss. Unexplained hair | | | | Instead of trying to take each one of these vitamins |
| loss should be evaluated as a symptom of other | | | | and minerals separately each day, consider a |
| health problems - if you experience this, check with | | | | complete multivitamin. A good one will provide all these |
| your physician. | | | | nutrients in the sufficient, yet safe dosages. In addition, |
| Although no particular vitamin or product will give you a | | | | here are some helpful hair care tips: |
| head of hair like Cher's in the 70's, you should take | | | | · Use all-natural biotin-based shampoo and |
| minerals and vitamins that help prevent hair loss to | | | | conditioner to help your hair appear thicker. |
| complement your nutritious diet. Good nutrition is | | | | · Be easy with your hair; brush it gently, starting |
| important to overall health and healthy hair growth. The | | | | from the bottom and working your way up. Don't ever |
| following vitamins and minerals have been shown to | | | | harshly tug downward on tangles. |
| help to prevent hair loss: | | | | · Don't blow dry your hair, use curling irons or hot |
| Vitamin A: This antioxidant produces healthy scalp | | | | rollers. Try some firm hair gel and a round styling brush |
| sebum. Daily dose is 5,000 IU. Caution: Ingesting more | | | | instead; style your hair, then let it air dry. |
| than 25,000 IU of vitamin A daily is toxic - it can cause | | | | · Don't frequently put your hair in ponytail holders |
| hair loss and other serious health problems. Food | | | | or barrettes, and never use rubber bands on your hair! |
| sources include fish liver oil, spinach, broccoli, cabbage, | | | | · Shorter hairstyles make hair look thicker. |
| carrots, apricots and peaches. | | | | · Avoid the Donald Trump comb over style at all |
| Vitamin B 3, or Niacin: Promotes scalp circulation. Daily | | | | costs! |
| dose is 15 mg. Food sources include brewer's yeast, | | | | To improve your hair's health and the overall physical |
| wheat germ and fish. | | | | condition of your body, take the next step and improve |
| Vitamin B 5, or Pantothenic acid: Helps prevent graying | | | | dietary nutrition, take the right vitamin and mineral |
| and hair loss. Daily dose is 4 to 7 mg. Food sources | | | | supplements, and minimize the stress in your life. |
| include whole grain cereals, brewer's yeast and egg | | | | |