The human
body is an amazingly complex and wonderful machine, but it
cannot function without a supply of food. The nutrients in
food are needed for energy, movement, heat, growth, repair,
hair growth and sometimes reproduction. The body needs to be
able to digest the foods it takes in so that it can be used
in various ways.
There are
six basic types of nutrients and two basic non-nutrients
found in food. The six nutrients are carbohydrate, fat,
protein, vitamins, minerals, trace elements; the two
non-nutrients are fiber and water. Generally speaking most
foods contain several nutrients, in varying amounts.
Carrots, for instance, contain a little protein, a trace of
fat, some carbohydrate, a good deal of water, a little
sugar, fiber, and a selection of vitamins and minerals such
as potassium, sodium, calcium, iron, zinc, vitamins B6, C
and E, folic acid, biotin and pantothenic acid, etc. We need
a combination of all the above nutrients to maintain a
normal and healthy body.
Para-Amino benzoic
Acid
(PABA) as
this vitamin is commonly known is one of the lesser known
members of the B complex family, has been shown to be an
anti-gray hair vitamin. In tests in black animals that were
feed with a diet deficient of PABA, they developed gray
hair, when the animals were reintroduced to the vitamin,
normal hair color was restored
Research
on humans with gray hair being given 200mg of PABA after
each meal produced results that showed that a study of the
hair afterwards resulted in a seventy per cent result of the
hair returning to its original color. Other research claims
that PABA combined with folic acid also helps restore hair
to its original color.
Deficiency
of PABA, Biotin, Folic Acid and Pantothenic Acid appears to
affect hair color. Hair color can normally be restored with
a diet rich in the B vitamins and in the few cases where
color is not restored the hair will improve in quality and
strength of growth.
PABA and
the B vitamins are found in foods such as liver, kidney,
whole grain and yeast. The richest source being liver.
Inositol
Inositol
is also a member of the B vitamin group. It is a compound
occurring in the brain, muscles, liver, kidney and eyes.
In
laboratory animals, a diet lacking Inositol produced
baldness, but when the vitamin was added to the food of
these animals, the hair grew back again. It was also
observed that male animals lost hair twice as fast as female
animals. The result of this experiment would suggest that
males require a higher Inositol intake than females. An
Inositol deficient diet can also cause eczema, a form of
skin irritation.
One doctor
in a series of experiments prescribed Inositol together with
other sources of B vitamins to all his balding patients. In
almost all case's hair loss was arrested, in some case's
hair growth was noticeable in as little as one month. In one
case hair recovery was total and not one bald spot remained.
Inositol,
also appears to reduce the amount of cholesterol in the
blood.
Biotin
Biotin
often called vitamin H, is yet another B complex component.
Biotin is a proven hair growth vitamin and a preventative to
excessive hair loss. It appears to metabolize fatty acids.
Fatty acids are a valuable growth factor in numerous
processes in the body including the hair. Biotin is also
seen as an aid in preventing hair turning gray.
Biotin is
found in egg yolks. Raw egg whites actually hinder
effectiveness, but when the albumen (egg white) is cooked,
the culprit - a substance called avidin is destroyed by
heat. Biotin is also present in liver, milk, yeast and
kidney.
Balding
men might find that a Biotin supplement may keep their hair
longer.
Zinc
In
laboratory tests animals fed with a zinc supplement showed
signs of more hair growth, as opposed to loss of hair in
animals that were deprived of zinc in their feed. It was
discovered that there was a change in the hair protein
structure when zinc was deficient in the diet.
Severe
zinc deficiency in humans has been shown to produce baldness
and scalp problems that were reversed when zinc was returned
to the diet.
Zinc has
also been shown to stop hair turning gray. One doctor taking
zinc for a year reversed the gray hairs which returned to
their original color.
Zinc can
be depleted by high stress levels. For a good source of
zinc, wheat germ is the best, other sources are brewer's
yeast, pumpkin seeds, oysters and mussels, shrimps and egg
yolks.
One
delightful effect of zinc is that it has long been regarded
as an aphrodisiac, and as such it can be very beneficial for
your sex life, which is not a bad side effect to have.
Protein
Protein is
a basic ingredient in many hair shampoos and conditioners
and is also the major ingredient of hair itself, which is at
least ninety per cent protein. Whilst this should not
necessarily be the main ingredient in your diet, its
importance should not be ignored.
In
controlled tests volunteers, supplementing their diets with
protein in the form of 14g of gelatin daily, found it
increased the thickness of individual hair strands by as
much as 45 per cent in only two months.
Diet can
influence both hair growth and quality and gelatin has
exhibited one of the highest specific dynamic effects of any
food or supplement.
Given that
a strong hair is a healthy hair, the study noted that the
gelatin induced increases in the diet constituted an
improvement in the mechanical properties of the hair,
including strength. When the volunteers stopped eating the
gelatin, their hair returned to its original diameter within
six months.
Vitamin
E
A Canadian
physician who started going gray was able to reverse the
process by taking 800iu of vitamin E in capsule form daily.
At the age of 68 after some 15 years of taking vitamin E he
still has a healthy head of thick black hair, and is the
envy of men half his age.
Vitamin E
has also been shown to retard the ageing process. It has
been suggested that gray hair is a symptom of body
degeneration so a supplement of vitamin E can only be
beneficial whether you have gray hair or not.
The best
natural sources of vitamin E are wheat germ, Soya beans,
broccoli, brussel sprouts, spinach and eggs.
Chorine
Chorine is
a B vitamin like nutrient that's useful in counter acting
the effects of stress. Recently scientists in America were
able to induce toxic levels of stress in baby animals by
limiting the amount of chorine in their diets.
Choline
supplements prescribed to balding patients produced
significant results to prove choline's worth in hair loss.
Lecithin is a very good source of choline, at it also
supplies inositol, a B complex vitamin with a particular
affinity with choline, these two vitamins work together
well.
Foods rich
in choline are egg yolks, yeast, liver and wheat germ.
Vitamin A
A
deficiency of Vitamin A will cause dry hair and rough skin.
Vitamin A is stored in the liver and if large doses (50,000
- 100,000 iu daily) are taken for a prolonged period the
liver cannot store the A vitamin, and it can build up in the
body to give unpleasant side effects which include nausea,
headaches, hair loss, drowsiness and weight loss.
The R.D.A.
for vitamin A is 2,500 iu.
Pantothenic
Acid
Pantothenic
Acid also known as Calcium Pantothenate is considered to be
important to the health of the skin and scalp. Pantothenic
acid is necessary for the well being of every body cell and
neither carbohydrate nor fat can be changed into energy
without it.
This
nutrient is also important for the functioning of the
adrenal glands that produce much of the male sex hormones.
Volunteers
who were feed on a diet deficient of pantothenic acid showed
increased vulnerability to infection and adrenal levels
dropped, blood pressure also dropped and constipation
developed.
Animals
lacking this nutrient in their diet became gray haired and
the follicles started to waste away.
This
supplement is most often found in B complex formulas.
This
nutrient is obtained from liver, kidney, egg yolks, whole
grains, milk and potatoes.
Cider
Vinegar
Hair loss
can sometimes be a result of poor metabolism. Many case
histories show that as a result of a few teaspoonfuls of
cider vinegar each day for several months, hair loss has
stopped and the remaining hair has grown healthier and
thicker. One reason for thinning hair is a deficiency of
minerals salts, so it is easy to understand why mineral-rich
cider vinegar can help.
Cider
vinegar will not work the same way for everyone. A few
people may be allergic to it and others may not be affected
at all. But for many people, cider vinegar opens up a
wonderful new chapter in life.
Cider
vinegar may be taken in a glass of water first thing in the
morning or just before meals. One of the side effects can be
weight loss which is an added bonus.
Seven
Wonders "Hair Food" Cocktail
The
following drink contains Protein, Choline, Inositol,
Pantothenic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin E and Zinc: The seven
ingredients' nutritionists most often recommend for growing
healthy hair.
8 Fl oz
Plain Yogurt
8 Fl oz Orange Juice
3 Tablespoons Wheat Germ
3 Tablespoons Brewers Yeast
1 Tablespoon Lecithin Crystals
1 Teaspoon Vitamin C Crystals
1 Raw Egg Yolk
1 Tablespoon Unflavored Gelatin Powder
Honey to Taste (optional)
Combine
all the ingredients and blend until smooth. If a blender is
not available put all the ingredients into a jar with a lid
and shake vigorously.
This tonic
makes a quick and nutritious breakfast and will work wonders
for your hair.
This
cocktail should help just about everyone, and you will
certainly notice a difference to your hair once you try it.
Another
recommended regime for hair loss which has proved to be very
effective is a supplement of the Amino Acids, Zinc and
Vitamin C. This supplement is particularly good for people
who go on crash diets and find a problem with hair loss, or
problems which are less obvious such as women who are losing
hair as a result of birth control pills and subsequent
vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
Hair loss
supplement
A daily
vitamin and mineral supplement
B Complex
Pantothenic Acid
Folic Acid
P.A.B.A.
Vitamin A
Zinc
A daily
supplement of the above will help produce healthy hair and
helps restore gray hair to its original color.
0ne multi-
vitamin formula 1000mg and 500mg magnesium taken daily can
have a great effect on hair growth - There is no guarantee
but many people have reported a definite reduction of hair
loss with this regime.
Another
combination that has produced excellent results with some
people is a daily supplement of choline and inositol, 1000mg
of each daily.
The Amino
Acid L Tyrosine is also recommended for helping hair regain
its natural color.
While
there are a number of supplements which can be beneficial,
it is important for the diet to improve and take precedence
over supplements alone. That said there are enormous
benefits to be derived from using vitamins, many food
products today have been treated with chemicals during the
growing process.
When
anyone is embarking on a course of vitamins or minerals they
should be aware that results will not happen overnight.
Vitamins are not some magic potion that is suddenly going to
cure hair loss overnight. They may not do anything for some
people but for others they will achieve excellent results
with noticeable differences in hair growth and in the
slowing down of hair loss.
Results
will usually take from about three to four months before the
body actually reacts to the effects brought about by the
vitamins.
Vitamins should always be
taken as directed on the bottle and not more than the stated
dosage. An extra helping of a vitamin does not make it work
twice as much, besides which it can be dangerous overdosing
on certain vitamins. When taking vitamins you may find that
you have to take them after a meal otherwise they may cause
a stomach upset.