Hair loss is a common problem for men and women with fifty percent experiencing some form of hair loss. For both men and women losing hair can be traumatic. Fortunately, only one form of hair loss is considered permanent while there are many forms of temporary hair loss. One of the most common causes for hair loss is poor nutrition.

Hair Cycles

Most people have about ninety percent of their hair in a growth stage. This growth period is a two- to six-year stage. While ninety percent is busy growing, ten percent is in a resting stage, where it rests for two to three months and is then shed. Once a hair is shed, the new one comes in and begins another growth stage. Most people lose around 100 hairs a day, plus or minus a few. Hair loss occurs when the resting/shedding rate is higher than the re-growth rate.

Results of Poor Nutrition

Poor nutrition increases the shedding of hair and slows re-growth by weakening the hair shafts. If a person is not absorbing enough protein in her diet, she may have hair loss. Vegetarians have to be careful of this. Fad diets can also be a source of poor nutrition. Those with eating disorders often lose their hair because they are not getting enough nutrition.

Essential Nutrients: Vitamin A

Vitamin E is important to the growth and health of cells throughout the body including hair and the scalp. A vitamin A deficiency can cause hair loss and dandruff. Good sources of vitamin A are red, orange and yellow fruits and vegetables; dark green leafy vegetables; eggs; milk; liver and fish oils.

Essential Nutrients: Vitamins B6, B12 and Folic Acid

These B vitamins are essential to the body’s production of red blood cells. The mission of the hemoglobin in these red blood cells is to bring oxygen from the lungs to all of the tissues of the body-hair included. A deficiency can lead to not enough oxygen and red blood cells which leads to hair loss, hair damage, and slow re-growth. Good sources of these vitamins would be chicken, fish, liver, kidney, pork, soy beans, avocado, beets, broccoli, leafy vegetables, orange juice, eggs, milk and wheat germ.

Essential Nutrients: Vitamin C

Vitamin C is important to the production of collagen, which helps keep tissue together-including hair. A deficiency causes hair to split and break, causing hair loss. Vitamin C is found in most citrus fruits, melons, berries, tomatoes, peppers, dark green leafy vegetables and potatoes.

Essential Nutrients: Protein

Every single cell in the body, including hair, must have protein. Not enough protein causes the body to have great difficulty making new hair, causing hair loss. Protein sources would be meat, fish, eggs, chicken, milk, cheese, yogurt and soy.

Good Nutrition=Healthy Hair

While poor nutrition can cause hair loss, good nutrition can restore hair to good health. For some it is difficult to eat enough of the right foods, and those people should be taking good nutritional supplements. A healthy diet promotes full, healthy, strong hair.