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Iron deficiency is a common cause of hair loss due to insufficient iron reserves in your body. This crucial micronutrient plays a key role in the production of hemoglobin which is responsible for the red blood cells transporting blood and oxygen to all body parts. Therefore, when iron levels are insufficient, it is our body’s natural instinct to redirect iron to other vital organs, leaving hair behind and causing iron deficiency hair loss.
Understanding Iron Deficiency and Hair Loss
Serum ferritin is a protein which acts as a storage for iron. When ferritin levels drop below 30 ng/mL, it can shorten the anagen growth phase of hair and push it into the telogen phase, causing Telogen Effluvium.
Hair loss due to iron deficiency doesn’t come across as bald patches or a receding hairline. Rather, some iron deficiency symptoms of hair loss appear as weakened strands that are prone to breakage, which eventually leads to diffuse hair thinning across your scalp.
Iron-deficiency hair loss treatments include taking iron supplements, consuming iron-rich foods, and using medications such as minoxidil and platelet-rich plasma therapy. Read on to know more.
A good head of hair determines our confidence and appearance. But hair loss can gravely impact that. Your hair might not fall out in one day, all at once; it’s a gradual process. While you may not notice it in the beginning, the hair thinning and finding clumps of hair in random places will make you wonder what’s happening to your hair.
Your hair's health determines your body’s inner turmoil. You cannot pinpoint one factor that causes hair loss, because there are many triggers, including:
- Having undergone a disease
- Hormonal dysregulation
- Environmental factors
- Infections
- Stress and high cortisol levels
- Side effects from certain medications
- Thyroid disorders
- Deficiency in nutrients, like iron, zinc, biotin, selenium, vitamins, proteins, fatty acids, and amino acids.
With so many factors to blame, iron deficiency is rarely the first thing to come to mind while thinking about hair loss. We tend to overlook something as simple as a nutrient imbalance that a basic blood test could reveal.
People are also often taken aback when they find out the correlation between iron deficiency and hair loss. This is primarily because it creeps on you, not in the form of bald patches or receding hairline, but subtly through hair thinning.
What is the hair growth cycle?
Each hair follicle undergoes a complete cycle of growth, rest, and renewal. Think of one hair follicle as a seed. The more water, sunlight, and carbon dioxide it gets, the more it grows. Your hair works in a similar fashion. It needs a constant supply of oxygen, nutrients, and cellular energy for its nourishment and growth.
The hair follicles are the most metabolically active structures in the human body. Your hair goes through 4 phases:
- Your hair spends the most time in the anagen or growth phase.
- The catagen phase acts as a transition between the growth and the resting phase. This phase of the cycle causes the hair to shrink.
- Then, your hair enters the telogen or resting phase.
- During the exogen phase, old hair follicles shed, paving the path for new ones.
What role does iron play in boosting hair follicle growth
Iron is an essential micronutrient involved in various biological processes.
- It helps your body produce hemoglobin, a protein found in red blood cells, which transports oxygen to the various cells in the body.
- Iron helps regulate the cell cycle, facilitating cell growth and repair.
- Iron is critical in the process of DNA synthesis and replication.
What is iron deficiency?
When there’s not enough iron in your body, it causes an iron deficiency or anemia. It surprises people to find out that iron deficiency is the most common nutritional disorder in the world.
Blood loss, trouble absorbing iron, or not including iron-rich foods in your diet - these factors can trigger this deficiency.
Iron deficiency symptoms include:
- Fatigue and weakness
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Shortness of breath
- Pale skin
- Memory lapses
- Decreased libido
While these symptoms are fairly well-known, do note that hair loss due to iron deficiency is also quite common.
How does iron affect hair health?
When your body runs low on iron, it instinctively redirects available iron to vital organs. Your hair is one of the first places your body starts to cut back, because it is a non-essential tissue.
What are low ferritin levels?
Low levels of iron in your body shouldn’t be blamed alone for causing hair loss. Ferritin and hair fall also share a complex relation that goes beyond nutrition. Ferritin is a protein that acts as a reservoir for iron. Unlike iron, which is always circulating in the bloodstream, ferritin stores iron in the body. It is called upon when there’s a sudden need for iron.
Hair follicles contain the highest concentration of ferritin after the liver. This is proof enough of how highly your hair depends on iron storage. Although hair in general has set high beauty standards and is linked to self-esteem and confidence levels, it is, however, not necessary for survival. Hence, when these ferritin levels drop below optimal ranges, typically below 30 ng/ml, your body pivots iron distribution to other parts over your hair follicles.
The ideal ferritin levels range from 40-70 ng/mL, which indicates strong hair. You should be proud of your hair quality if the ferritin levels are anything above 70 ng/mL. It indicates that your body has adequate iron reserves.
A drop in ferritin levels leads to iron deficiency hair loss, the first signs of which reflect not from your hair’s quantity, but from its texture. When iron stores are low, it adversely affects the growth of hair follicles. This is because the anagen phase of your hair growth cycle is cut short, and the follicles are prematurely pushed into the telogen phase.
There are telltale signs that indicate lower ferritin levels. They include fatigue, pale skin, brittle nails, and restless leg syndrome.
What does iron deficiency hair fall look like: Signs and symptoms
When the iron levels in the body are no longer able to transport oxygen and essential nutrients to the hair follicles, your hair shaft production gets compromised as a result. So, what are the other iron deficiency symptoms for hair loss? Let’s take a look -
- You’ll see the quality of your stands deteriorate, as they become thinner, weaker, brittle, and more prone to damage. This thinness spreads across the scalp.
- The strands may appear dull and lacklustre, as they lose their natural shine.
- Your ponytail may appear less dense and even more limp.
- They may also appear lighter in colour due to reduced melanin production.
Diagnosis of iron deficiency hair fall: What tests do you actually need?
Rather than guessing what’s causing the hair loss or trying endless treatment methods, the simplest thing to do is to get a blood test to give your hair fall scientific grounding.
You can get serum iron, total iron-binding capacity (TIBC), and Transferrin saturation tests that tell you all about your iron levels.
However, getting a serum ferritin blood test can help determine the exact cause of diffuse hair thinning.
Iron deficiency hair loss treatment
Since iron deficiency impairs blood flow to the scalp, solutions like minoxidil (2% and 5%) can be effective. Originally used as a vasodilator to maintain blood pressure, minoxidil also helps boost blood circulation to the scalp, thereby promoting the growth of hair follicles.
On consulting a doctor, they may also suggest iron supplements for hair loss. The only drawback of taking these supplements is that they cause constipation. An overdose of iron supplements can interfere with your immune system and cause iron poisoning and toxicity in the body. Therefore, it is advisable to take these supplements under strict medical supervision.
In some cases, intravenous (IV) iron infusions are also necessary to transport this essential micronutrient into the body.
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy draws and injects your own platelet-rich blood into the affected areas to promote healing and stimulate tissue regeneration.
Along with iron supplements, you can also try Traya’s Ultimate Hair Supplements Combo. Traya’s Hair Ras and Hair Vitamin provides you with a mix of natural Ayurvedic ingredients, science-backed Allopathy solution, and nutritious extracts for healthy hair growth.
Who should consume more iron?
While iron is a vital component in hair biology at a cellular level, some individuals need iron a lot more than others.
- Babies need breastmilk or iron-fortified formula in their formative years because consuming cow milk in the first year can cause iron deficiency.
- Women, in particular, are more prone to iron deficiency because they menstruate. Losing so much blood each month inevitably leads to iron depletion. Therefore, it is crucial for them to increase their intake of iron-rich foods. It’s also important for women experiencing regular periods to monitor their ferritin levels.
- Expecting and lactating women undergo a lot of physical turmoil throughout the pregnancy journey. They also need adequate iron reserves to support fetal and child development. There’s a reason women experience extreme hair shedding in the months following pregnancy – Their iron stores are already low, and therefore, the low ferritin levels take a long time to recover.
- Athletes and fitness enthusiasts who engage in high-intensity exercises should increase their iron intake. Heavy exercise can often cause small tears in your joints or stomach lining, leading to blood leakage. There’s nothing to worry about, more so when you add iron to your meals.
- Significant weight loss, extreme dietary changes, and prolonged stress can also aggravate hair loss.
Iron-rich foods for better hair health
Your body can store iron, but it doesn’t produce iron. Therefore, the best way to ensure your iron levels are stable is through your diet.
Individuals who follow a vegan or vegetarian diet generally have lower iron intake compared to those who can consume meat. If you happen to fall in this bracket, add more green leafy vegetables (spinach is the biggest example), broccoli, peas, tofu, and beans to your meals. You can also include citrus foods high in vitamin C (such as limes, oranges, tomatoes, lemons, and strawberries), as it aids in iron absorption.
Red meat, poultry, and fish contain heme iron, unlike plant-based foods with non-heme iron.
Diet plays an integral role in refuelling iron levels. However, it is not enough without supplementation.
Hair regrowth timeline
Patience and consistency are key when dealing with the process of hair regrowth. When you’re recuperating from iron deficiency, it can take your hair some time to return to the natural cycle, and this regrowth can span over months.
- Once your ferritin levels start to replenish, it should take about 3-4 months for hair loss to stop and hair growth to start.
- You’ll notice new hair appearing on the scalp. They might seem like flyaway at the beginning, which will then grow into proper strands. This is an indication that hair follicles are activated again.
- It can take up to a year to see your hair become thicker and denser, just like it was before you experienced iron deficiency.
Iron aside, even deficiencies in zinc, Vitamin D, and Vitamin B12 can cause hair loss. Understanding your iron levels can provide an insight into hair care.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Will hair loss due to iron deficiency grow back?
If you’re wondering, “Can hair loss due to iron deficiency be reversed?”, the answer is - yes. Iron deficiency can cause telogen effluvium because it shortens the anagen phase of the hair growth cycle. Unlike severe forms of hair loss, which result in a receding hairline or bald patches, iron deficiency hair loss occurs in the form of thinning across the scalp, and can be reversed with iron supplements, or topical treatments like Minoxidil.
2. Can low ferritin levels cause hair loss even if blood iron levels are normal?
Yes, even if your hemoglobin range is stable and normal, but your ferritin levels are depleted, it can lead to hair loss. Since ferritin levels determine insufficient iron storage to support hair follicles, it can be an early sign of hair loss.
3. Can other factors affect hair growth even after ferritin levels are normalised?
Hair loss is not just an outcome of low iron stores or low ferritin levels. Genetic predisposition, hormonal imbalances, thyroid disorders, stress, vitamin D, Vitamin B12, and zinc deficiency – all these factors can also contribute to hair loss, long after ferritin levels have been normalised.
References:
- https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/iron-deficiency
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10683524/
- https://ijced.org/archive/volume/6/issue/3/article/7688
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