7 Ways a Vitamin Deficiency Affects Your Hair ...

1. Zinc

ZInc is one of the most important nutrients for your hair and a vitamin deficiency linked to zinc shortage can cause everything from hair loss to constant shedding. This crucial mineral is good for your hormone health, immune system, and your skin, hair, and nails. If you notice constant shedding of your hair, it could be linked to zinc. You can take a supplement of zinc, or look at your diet. Zinc is plentiful in oysters, nuts, seeds, chicken, yogurt, and turkey.

2. Vitamin B

Is your hair thin and grows slowly? It could be linked to a shortage of Vitamin B in your body. B vitamins are responsible for keeping your hair thick, aiding its consistent growth, and preventing breakage. A B complex supplement can easily fix this, as well as eating foods rich in the vitamin like spirulina, nuts, seeds, fish, chicken, turkey, yogurt, avocados, oats, eggs, and quinoa.

3. Protein

Though technically not a vitamin, this is one nutrient critical for your hair health. Protein manufactures collagen that makes up hair strands, as well as the skin and nails. Without enough protein, hair will be come weak, hard to grow, and will break more easily. Be sure you’re eating high quality protein sources, and if you’re vegan, you may need more protein than you think. Sadly, animal proteins are much easier for the body to absorb, so we need less, whereas we might have to eat a bit more of plant sources of protein if we’re vegan. You can also take a clean vegan protein powder. I like Sunwarrior Warrior Blend, as it’s high in protein, and the cleanest on the market. Getting about 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight is recommended for men, and women may need about .5 gram of protein per pound of body weight. Some women, especially active women may need more.

4. Biotin

This is a B vitamin, but one that deserves its own spotlight. Biotin is the prime B vitamin for helping your hair to grow. It is found in nuts, seeds, chicken, fish, turkey, yogurt, and red meat. Biotin is also available as a supplement. Most people take around 5,000 mcg for the best effects. You’ll also likely notice your nails start to grow as well. This B vitamin is the prime ingredient in most hair, skin, and nail supplements.

5. Omega 3 Fats

Another nutrient that should be mentioned here is omega 3 fats. Omega 3 fats are crucial for your hair, as they help prevent dryness, dull hair, and breakage. Fats keep your entire body operating better, including your hair. Be sure to include omega 3 fats in your diet through fish, nuts, and seeds like flax, hemp, and chia. You can also take omega 3 fish oils or capsules if you don’t like these foods.

6. Vitamin C

Vitamin C is another vitamin that is important for your hair health. It helps to increase the production of hair growth, as well as enhance its overall strength. It can be found in a variety of nutrients, with most fruits and vegetables being the best source.

7. Calcium

Calcium and Vitamin D are both crucial to your bone health, but calcium is also important for your hair health. A shortage can lead to hypothyroidism, which may cause hair loss and breakage. Calcium helps increase hair strength, just as it does your bones. To increase the efficiency of calcium uptake in your body, be sure you consume enough Vitamin D. Calcium needs Vitamin D for absorption, and Vitamin D is fat soluble, therefore it needs to be consumed with fats. The best way to ensure you get enough of all these nutrients is to have a calcium-rich snack that’s also high in Vitamin D. Yogurt is a perfect example, or fortified almond milk. To boost the uptake with fat, just add some flax, chia, or some nut butter to your yogurt, or blend your almond milk in a smoothie with these ingredients. Good sources of calcium include milk, almonds, spinach, yogurt, non-dairy milk, kale, and Swiss chard. Vitamin D is found in egg yolks, liver, fish, fish oil, yogurt, and fortified non-dairy milks. You can also take a calcium and Vitamin D supplement if you wish.

There are many causes of hair issues, and it might be hard to pinpoint exactly what yours is. I suggest eating a healthy diet, rich in the nutrients above, or covering your bases with a supplement. Remember to always talk to your doctor first, as they might be able to help you out too. Do you think your hair problems might have to do with a vitamin deficiency?