Iron levels and hair loss – Taking iron supplements for hair loss

Many internet forums and websites an hair loss touch upon the possible relationship between iron, levels and hair loss.

There are some experts who believe that low iron levels may be factors that cause hair loss. Females also are at higher risk of low iron levels are mainly premeno-pausal women. Especially those who have heavy and frequent periods. Vegetarian females who are on crashed diets or suffering from anorexia or bulimia.

More experts’ analyses reveal that when iron levels are corrected, women may find their hair loss to slow down. But correcting iron levels does not solve every woman’s problem.

It’s interesting-most women, by the time they reach menopause, have some degree of iron deficiency, and it may be a contributing factor to hair loss, but it’s not the whole story. We need to make sure that your iron levels are good, because iron deficiency could make your hair loss happen faster, and I’ve seen that in a variety of patients, but the reality is that they need to have a complete medical evaluation, and part of that evaluation is to check the iron levels.’

Ferritin Levels

When taking a look at an iron deficiency, physicians in many cases are looking at your ferritin levels. This isn’t the quantity of circulating iron but the quantity of iron your body has stored for future use.

If you looked at one hundred women with hair loss and checked for anemia and checked one hundred women without hair loss, youre probably going to find a subtle anemia in both groups. No one has done that study, but I suspect that they might both be the same.

Some scientists claim the issue with iron levels is very confusing and stress upon the lack of well controlled studies showing that replacing iron improves hair loss.

In the studies that have been done, ,as well as in the wealth of anecdotal evidence both pro and con for iron replacement and hair loss there does not appear to be any clear consensus on the issue.

Taking Iron Supplementation for Hair Loss

Nonetheless, it does seem that having optimal iron stores is importa,nt and may indeed playa part in keeping your hair healthy. Does that mean you should take iron supplementation? Possibly. Ask your doctor to test for it, especially if you suffer with heavy menstrual periods or have had a recent blood loss or an operation.

However, make sure you know your complete iron profile before simply taking megadoses of iron, as too much iron can have profound, consequences.

At the very least, iron supplementation can cause constipation, which is a common side effect, but if you overdo it, you could be prone to iron overload, which will damage your liver. You’d have to take a lot of iron to do this,butas with anything, if you think you need megadoses of iron or any other vitamin,min.eral, or herb, it’s blest to discuss this with a nutritionist, doctor, or medical specialist well-versed in supplementation. Some alternative-medicine practitioners-such as holistic practitioners” chiropractors, and naturopaths-have expertise in this area as well.

According to the Institute of Medicine’s Food Nutrition Board, a female from age fourteen to eighteen needs a daily intake of 15 milligrams of iron; from age nineteen to fifty, 18 milligrams; and after age fifty, 8 milligrams.

Generally, hair doctors tell patients to take a good multivitamin with just a little bit of iron. Vitamins labeled for women over fifty do not contain iron because it is general assumption that once you stop getting your periods, you don’t need it anymore; so be careful to get a little iron supplement as well.