Research shows that iron deficiency is a frequent cause of hair loss in non-menopausal women, ages 35 to 50. Specifically, 30% of women suffer from hair loss because of nutritional factors. The main causes seem to be depleted iron stores, which are compromised by suboptimal intake of amino acid l-lysine.
Women who are most vulnerable to hair loss due to iron deficiency are joggers, pregnant women, and those who have just given birth. In addition, if you have been diagnosed with anemia, a side effect of it could be hair loss or increased hair thinning and shedding.
There are three causes why the iron level can become low—blood loss, the body’s lack of iron absorption, and decreased iron intake. The most common reasons why a blood loss may have occurred include: bleeding in the digestive tract, pregnancy (during and after birth), menstruation (excessively heavy periods), and severe injuries. Also, a decreased absorption of iron can also be caused by medications such as those that reduce chronic diarrhea and stomach acids. In addition, some foods can also decrease the absorption of iron into the blood stream. In addition, taking Vitamin C when supplementing your diet with iron can absorb the iron into the blood stream more completely.
To determine if you have iron deficiency, doctors can conduct a ferritin test and find out if iron is the cause of your hair loss.
