Ferritin and Hair loss

by Viviscal Hair Expert on November 17th, 2016
Hair Loss due to Low Ferritin in Women

You may have heard of ferritin, but you may not know exactly what it is, or why you should care. If your hair isn’t growing as thick or as long as normal, low ferritin levels could be the reason why. Let’s take a look at the relationship between ferritin and hair loss.

The Relationship Between Ferritin and Hair Loss

Ferritin is the name given to the amount of iron we have stored in our bodies. When we talk about the importance of iron to our hair health, we’re specifically referring to our ferritin levels.

Ferritin is stored in a number of places, including your hair follicles. When your body is running low on iron, the key nutrient for red blood cell production, it steals ferritin that is being stored in less essential parts of the body which includes (yep, you guessed it) your hair follicles.

When ferritin levels are normal, each hair has about five years of growth before falling out and being replaced. When ferritin levels are low and your body needs to borrow from your follicles, this life cycle is much shorter, and lots of things will change.

The relationship between ferritin levels and hair loss does not cause hair to stop growing… it just does not grow as much. Plus, your hair may be weaker, more brittle, and more resistant to curling.

How Common are Ferritin Issues with Hair Loss

Menstruating women are the most likely to be affected, as the blood loss affects iron levels. Normal shedding means losing between 80-100 strands per day. It becomes a noticeable issue once this number reaches 150-200.

Although low ferritin levels in women are relatively common, it is not always easy to pinpoint. Many women who suspect low ferritin go to the doctor to have their levels checked, only to find out that they are in the normal range. But these results might not tell the whole story. Even when ferritin levels are in the “normal” range, that level still might not be high enough for optimum hair growth.

The good news is that low ferritin levels caused by an iron deficiency are relatively easy to correct.

How To Correct Low Ferritin Levels

The easiest way to increase your ferritin levels is by increasing the amount of iron in your diet. Eating more protein-rich foods like fish, poultry, vegetables and beef will help correct your ferritin levels over time. Also, increasing your vitamin C and calcium intake can help you better absorb iron.

If you think low ferritin levels are causing your hair loss, look into a daily vitamin with all the nutrients that your hair needs for growth. Viviscal Extra Strength has what you need to promote hair growth including iron, zinc, biotin, niacin, and vitamin C. It also contains a proprietary marine complex called AminoMar®, which has been proven to nourish hair follicles and promote hair growth.