Identifying hair loss or hair fall difficulties can be complex because the causes for it are often subjective.
Hair loss is usually between 50 and 100 hairs each day. With over 100,000 hairs on your head, a minor hair loss is barely perceptible. New hair usually grows in to replace the hair that has fallen out, although this does not always happen.
How does nutrition play a role?
Diet is one of the variables that might contribute to the issue of hair loss. Hair thinning can be predominantly caused by a diet low in protein, iron, zinc, Vitamin E and selenium.
For a variety of reasons, the vegan diet is gaining popularity among a broad segment of the population. It can help bring about a variety of healthy changes in your body while also benefitting the environment as well as animals. Here are a few more articles that will help you understand the benefits of a plant forward diet:
However, there might be some circumstances faced by some people about their hair either thinning and/or falling out while they follow a plant based diet.
As a result, the true question is whether this is just a coincidence or whether there is something in a vegan diet that causes hair loss or thinning. We also try to address a few health tips that might be used to overcome this problem.
Does a Vegan diet cause hair loss?
Some people, particularly women, may experience hair loss when following a plant-based diet.
There might be several reasons for this.
First and foremost, dairy is a supply chain of a particular hormone called oestrogen. Now oestrogen is a female sex hormone, naturally floating in cows after birth. This makes its way into he milk and to humans. Humans also make oestrogen, but excess oestrogen is a bad news for the body.
Elevated oestrogen is linked with cancers, PCOS symptoms, infertility, endometriosis and many other problem.
But here is where it get’s tricky. In a woman's body, oestrogen has a variety of biological effects, including stimulating hair growth.
But when people switch to a plant-based diet and stop eating dairy, their oestrogen intake drop, resulting in decreased hair growth.
Though this might be a good news, the initial hair loss can be scary.
Secondly, a plant based diet is naturally low in fats. This is also good and low fat diets are linked with increased longevity. But fats are also essential for hair health. so unless you are consciously adding healthy fat sources to your daily plan, such as almonds, walnuts, chia and flax, tahini etc. you might not be giving your hair enough nutrition.
So am I doomed with bad hair if I choose to go Vegan?
No, this is not a cause for alarm, and individuals need not be concerned because there are several ways to correct the diet. You may enhance your your hair health by eating a nutritionally dense diet.
The most important nutrients for hair include:
Zinc: Lentils and Pulses with a dash of Vit C for absorption.
Iodine: Only use iodised salt.
Selenium: One Brazil nut per day, everyday.
Vitamin E: Wheat germ oil.
Omega- 3’s: Chia/ Flax and Hemp seeds.
Foods rice in nitric oxide: Handful of leafy greens with every meal.
Proteins: Tofu/ Tempeh/ Pulses/ Lentils etc.
Could there be any other reason for Hair Fall?
Sometimes, hair loss can also be an indication of hypothyroidism, or a lack of thyroid function. Get a thyroid profile done to know if it is the cause.
Lastly, keep in mind that you're hair follicles do not vanish and are still present and will regrow as well. These few minor changes will be enough to reduce your hair fall issue even with a vegan diet.
Trust this helps,