| Pattern baldness, or Alopecia, is becoming a | | | | producing healthy hair. Vitamin E can be found in |
| swiftly growing and increasingly common ailment | | | | foods such as green leafy vegetables, whole |
| in both men and women. By the time they reach | | | | grains, and nuts. Many North Americans do not |
| 30 years of age, approximately 25% of men | | | | get enough Vitamin E in their daily diets and often |
| have already begun going bald, and by 80 over | | | | seek additional sources such as natural and herbal |
| 57% of women are affected to some degree by | | | | supplements to meet their needs. Vitamin E is an |
| pattern baldness. Men are particularly prone to | | | | antioxidant responsible for increasing blood flow to |
| Androgenic Alopecia, so much so that they have | | | | the scalp, thereby giving the follicles better access |
| a 4 in 7 chance of inheriting the 'baldness gene'. | | | | to more nutrients so that they may develop |
| However, there are several natural methods | | | | stronger, healthier hair strands. |
| involving important vitamins and minerals that can | | | | Vitamin A is also essential to good overall hair |
| aid in not only better, and healthier hair growth, | | | | follicle health. It's function is to lubricate the hair |
| but can also assist in detaining the progression of | | | | follicle. It can be found in green leafy vegetables, |
| pattern baldness, or help to stave it off | | | | liver, eggs, and red, yellow, and orange |
| indefinitely. | | | | vegetables. Vitamin C likewise is beneficial for |
| Vitamins and minerals can be administered to hair | | | | healthy overall hair and can be found in citrus |
| via two methods. The most common way | | | | fruits, kiwis, strawberries, pineapples and |
| vitamins and minerals are obtained by the body is | | | | tomatoes. |
| through one's diet. The body absorbs, through its | | | | Similar to the body's need for vitamins to grow |
| daily dietary needs, a wide array of healthy hair | | | | and produce generally healthy hair and maintain |
| producing vitamins and minerals. Diet has one of | | | | follicles and reduce hair loss, the body also |
| the most prominent and profound effects on the | | | | requires a range of minerals. These minerals |
| health of an individual's hair as it dictates which | | | | include copper, iodine, iron, selenium, silica, and zinc. |
| important, hair building and repairing vitamins and | | | | Minerals are often required for proper enzyme |
| minerals are consumed and which are left by the | | | | and hormone production, which can have huge |
| way side. Hair, similar to many other bodily | | | | impacts on hair growth and loss. Improperly |
| organs, requires a wide array of important | | | | balanced hormones can cause hair to shed, go |
| vitamins and minerals in order to produce healthy | | | | into a dormant follicular stage, or irritate and swell, |
| hair. Such vitamins include the full range of | | | | thereby producing less, if any hair at all. Mineral |
| B-Vitamins, E, A, and C. | | | | definciencies often trigger dry, brittle hair strands, |
| B- range vitamins are usually found in a spectrum | | | | a change in texture, poor hair growth, and |
| of vegetarian sources such as whole grains, fresh | | | | outright hair loss. Silica in particular is responsible |
| fruits, brewer's yeast, as well as a variety of | | | | for the formation of keratin sulfate, an important |
| meat sources like eggs, fish, turkey, and milk. | | | | structural component of the hair shaft, while Zinc |
| B-Vitamins are considered the most important for | | | | is required for proper DNA and RNA production, |
| healthy hair growth, as they provide a wide | | | | regulating normal hair follicle cell division. Minerals |
| variety of functions that are vital to prevent hair | | | | are most often found in nuts, meat sources, |
| loss and encourage new hair growth. Common | | | | eggs, seafood, beans, grains, and leafy green |
| names of important B-vitamins and their functions | | | | vegetables. Copper can even be present in some |
| include, Para-aminobenzoic acid, which prevents | | | | forms of chocolate! Another rarely thought of |
| premature graying, Biotin which is key for | | | | source of minerals is often tap water. Tap water |
| preventing hair loss, as well as is Inositol, Nicacin | | | | usually consists of a variety of dissolved local |
| (vitamin B-3) which promotes blood circulation to | | | | minerals straight from the earth; this is very true |
| the scalp, Panthenol (B-5) also stops hair loss and | | | | particularly in rural areas where residents draw |
| encourages new hair growth, and Vitamins B-6 | | | | water from well sources. However it is important |
| and B-12, which have been shown to play vital | | | | to keep in mind that different geographical |
| roles in healthy hair growth. | | | | locations offer different mineral concentrations. |
| Vitamin E, similarly to B-Vitamins, is also vital to | | | | |