these nutrients can make your hair grow

according to the  canadian dermatology association,   close to 50 per cent of men and women experience some form of hair loss or thinning throughout the lifecycle.

in his 2018 paper on the connection between nutrition and hair loss, dr. rajendrasingh rajput wrote, “the understanding of hair loss is changing. at present hair loss is agreed to be a multifactorial combination of various intertwined mechanisms,” such as pollution, hormones and vitamin deficiencies.

inadequate vitamin d intake is a pretty significant public health concern here in canada because we simply don’t eat that much fish — the main dietary source of vitamin d  —  nor is the sun strong enough for more half the year to allow our bodies to synthesize the vitamin.

some  studies also suggest pregnancy and lactation  may play a role in affecting biotin status and metabolism.

“the custom of treating women complaining of hair loss in an indiscriminate manner with oral biotin supplementation is to be rejected,” wrote  dr ralph trüeb  in the journal of trichology, which is the study of the hair and scalp.

b12.  vitamin b12 is widely available in foods of animal origin, like beef, salmon and liver. vegans may need to rely on foods like nutritional yeast, plant-based meats and foods fortified with b12, such as fortified soy and almond milk.

zinc.  this essential mineral is found in rich supply in beef, chicken, nuts, seeds and legumes, like lentils and chickpeas.

folate.  an important nutrient for female fertility and conception, you can get your folate from a number of foods, but particularly green ones like edamame, broccoli, asparagus, spinach and avocado.

“whenever i see a patient with hair loss, i consider checking certain labs such as iron, vitamin d, and zinc. deficiencies in any of these can result in alopecia [hair loss]. i also ask them about any specific dietary restrictions, because a diet rich in protein can help hair grow strong and healthy, says dr. joyce park , a board-certified dermatologist practicing in northern california.

andy is a registered dietitian and author who has operated a private practice in toronto since 2015.  he spends his free time eating, writing and talking about kale @andytherd. he can be reached at andytherd.com