Changing your diet to fight hair loss when its at an advanced stage probably won’t have a huge impact, and you may need to seek professional help. But if you’re in the early stages of losing your hair, or even looking to prevent future hair loss, there are some foods you can eat, rich in hair growth nutrients, that might just help to delay the inevitable.
1. Coconut oil
Coconut oil hit the big time a couple of years ago, when it was promoted as a healthier cooking oil alternative. It was pointed out that coconut oil contains a higher level of saturated fats than butter or vegetable oil. New research has shown that lauric acid, a key component of those fats, could stop the production of Dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a hormone that contributes to hair loss.
The trial has not been performed on humans yet, and so the jury is out on whether coconut oil really could be used to treat hair loss. But it couldn’t do any harm to keep some in the pantry.
2. Nuts and seeds
Nuts and seeds make an awesome snack. They’re convenient to pick at on the go, and provide a huge range of nutrients that are great for hair growth.
Did you know that an ounce of almonds contains 37% of your RDA of vitamin E?
And as if that wasn’t enough, pumpkin seed oil has also been shown to be an impressive DHT blocker. In a 24-week study involving 76 men experiencing male pattern hair loss, those who took a daily 400mg pumpkin seed oil supplement had significantly more hair growth than those who received a placebo.
3. Eggs
Eggs contain lots of nutrients that are essential for healthy hair growth. They are a great source of both zinc and selenium, as well as biotin and protein, deficiencies in either of which can lead to hair loss.
While eggs might not contain the DHT blockers that can actually combat hair loss, they are a very good way of ensuring that the hair you do have remains strong and healthy, and can certainly help to prevent hair loss caused by nutrient deficiency.
4. Seafood
Almost all seafood can be good for the hair. Fatty fish like salmon and mackerel contain a high level of omega-3 fatty acids, which have been reported to reduce hair loss and improve hair density and texture.
Oysters are one of the best ways to get zinc through food, and a deficiency in zinc has been shown to lead to telogen effluvium.
And shrimp contain many nutrients that are deemed essential to hair growth, including protein, zinc, iron, B vitamins and vitamin D. In fact, a 100g serving of shrimp provides 38% of your RDA of vitamin D.
There are plenty more foods that can help you to maintain a healthy head of hair. So if you’re concerned about present or future hair loss but aren’t quite ready to seek treatment, you could do worse than consider adding some of these to your daily diet.
