Hair loss affect about 70% of women during perimenopause. The symptoms of perimenopause usually last for the whole menopause transition (until the mid 50's), but some women may experience them for the rest of their life. Menopause is not an illness, but a natural process in a woman's body. The symptoms of menopause are just indicators of changes between the hormones estrogen, testosterone and progesterone. These changes result in a hormonal imbalance in a woman's body and cause the common menopause symptoms. A woman can experience hair loss during other parts of her life also, hormonal imbalance is not always limited to the menopausal transition. Even men experience hair loss during andropause.
Hair loss occurs when the diet is inadequate in the B vitamins - especially B6, biotin, inositol and folic acid; and the minerals magnesium, sulfur and zinc. The B vitamins, especially B5 (pantothenic acid and B3 (niacin), are especially important for hair growth.
Certain essential amino acids are found to control the thinning and thickening of hair in laboratory animals. For example, when rats were fed a diet deficient in magnesium, they lost their hair in bunches. The situation was even more serious with some other B-vitamins. When rats were fed a diet low in biotin or inositol, they became hairless! This nutrient-deficient condition was found to be reversible. When the rats were fed a diet that was rich in B vitamins, it resulted in the complete restoration of hair.
Heavy intake of vitamin supplements, in some cases, have resulted in stimulating hair growth. Men deficient in vitamin B6 often lose their hair. When they are deficient in folic acid, some men became completely bald! As in case of animals, when normal intake of theses vitamins were restored, the hair also returned in most instances.
If your hair loss begins around the onset of menopause, you can maintain hormonal balance (and hence hair thickness) with herbs containing plant-based estrogens, such as dong quai (Angelica sinensis) or ashwaganda (Withania somnifera), suggests Linda Page, N.D., Ph.D., a naturopath and author of Healthy Healing (Healthy Healing Publications, 1997). Other herbs that exert mild estrogenic effects include damiana (Turnera diffusa), black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa) and sage (Salvia officinalis).
Some people believe that hair loss is a result of bad genes and stress. These may be true at some point but a healthier and thicker hair won’t just fall off your scalp just like that, right? There are lots of vitamins out there that can make your hair and nails thicker and your skin firmer. Why not start early and naturally thicken your hair strands before they start to get thin and fine?
For example, B vitamins—namely B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, biotin, folic acid, and so on can effectively prevent hair loss if taken regularly. Did you know that the majority of hair loss happens when a person’s diet is deficient in B vitamins? B vitamins are essential for hair regrowth, hair strengthening, and overall hair health, including scalp health. Without B vitamins, old and brittle hair will shed and no new hair follicles are made to replace fallen hair.
Other vitamins and minerals that are important to hair loss prevention include Vitamin A, C, and E and trace minerals such as manganese and zinc. Zinc stimulates hair growth by enhancing our body’s immune function. Vitamin E helps in better blood circulation all over our body, including our scalp. The more freshly oxygenated blood that passes through our scalp, the more the scalp can stimulate hair growth. Manganese controls levels of calcium, which in huge uncontrolled numbers can lead to hair loss.
If there’s one thing in nature that contains all of the above vitamins and minerals that are needed to prevent hair loss, it’s none other than the Acai Berry! Yes, it is one of today’s “super fruits” because of its abundant content of essential vitamins, minerals, and other bio-nutrients.
Essential fatty acids (flaxseed oil, primrose oil, and salmon oil are good sources) improves hair texture. Prevents dry, brittle hair. (Found in Female Balance and Fish oil)
Vitamin C aids in improving scalp circulation. It is important to maintain capillaries that carry blood to the follicles. (Found in Maqui/Resveratrol/Acai Ultimate)
Vitamin E increases oxygen uptake, which improves circulation to the scalp. It improves health and growth of hair. Since hair health is tied to the immune health, vitamin E is believed to stimulate hair growth by enhancing the immune function. (Found in Maqui/Resveratrol/Acai Ultimate)
Deficiency in zinc can contribute a lot to hair shedding because without zinc and other related minerals, you hair shafts get weakened, causing hair breakage and very slow hair regrowth. Zinc benefits for hair include promotion of cell reproduction, tissue growth and repair of broken tissues. It also maintains the oil-secreting glands that are attached to your hair follicles, thus decreasing their chances of falling off. (Zinc is found in Octovite)
Coenzyme Q10 - Improves scalp circulation. Increases tissue oxygenation. It is also very important for heart health. (Found in Fish Oil/Coenzyme Q10)
Incorporating green tea into your diet may help combat or help prevent hair loss. One of the most powerful antioxidants in green tea is epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). Studies conducted by the Saitama Cancer Center Research Institute in Japan and the Seoul National University College of Medicine both show evidence that EGCG stimulates hair growth. (Found in Maqui/Resveratrol/Acai Ultimate)
Ginkgo Biloba has been in use in China for more than 5 centuries, from last 2 decades even Europe is widely using this tree's extracts for various purposes. Ginkgo Biloba possess special property of helping regulate the blood circulation in a body, when the extract is taken. The use of Ginkgo Biloba will boost the blood flow to the peripheral parts of the body and the fine capillaries, both of which indicates scalp as one of the parts. The increased circulation will hence bring more oxygen and more nutrients to the scalp, these nutrients are basically essential vitamins A and E along with some other important nutrients which are in our blood after digestion but are not transported to the right place to act, just because of lack of circulation. So when a hair follicle gets it right amount of oxygen and necessary nutrients it will automatically start hair repair and will promote hair growth. (Octovite contains Gingko Biloba)
If your previous hair growth remedies have not worked, consider a vitamin and herbal combination therapy. Hair loss can be a feature of adrenal fatigue and hypothyroidism, which are other hormonal imbalances. Be sure to consult your practitioner to rule out treatable causes of your hair loss.
Maqui Resveratrol Acai Ultimate has Vitamins A,C,E and Green Tea (and many other ingredients)
Female Balance has Dong Quai, Damiana, Flaxseed, Magnesium and Vitamins A, B, C and E (and many other ingredients)
Rhodigandha contains Ashwagandha, Rhodiola, Acai, Pomegranate, Blueberry, and Bilberry
Octovite contains Omega, Gingko Biloba, Zinc, vitamins A,C,E (and many other ingredients)