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Nutrient Deficiencies Causing Hair Loss (#1-6)

Along with conditions, there are also many nutrient deficiencies that can cause hair loss. From vitamins to minerals to macronutrients, our bodies depend on nutrition to replace and grow different tissues in our bodies. Hair is no exception. Here are the top 6, out of 12, nutrient deficiencies that cause hair loss (6 more to come in Part 2).

1. Protein

While those on a Western Diet seldom experience protein deficiency, it certainly can happen and affects hair growth. If you’re using an unhealthy low-nutrient detox over many days, crash dieting, or fasting too much, you can experience protein malnutrition, which results to hair loss.

Sudden decreased protein intake can result in both acute and chronic hair loss (3).

If using Keto Zone, which is low-carb, moderately low-protein, and high-fat, make sure you’re still getting 40+ grams of protein each day. For example, if eating 1,500 calories or so, you can stay in the Keto Zone with:

• 1,125 calories fat (125 grams, 75%)
• 120 calories from carbs (30 grams, 8%)
• 255 calories from protein (64 grams, 17%)

As long as you include a high-quality protein source at one meal and supplemental proteins, such as Hydrolyzed Collagen or the Keto Zone Shake, at another time, you can easily get enough to resolve any low-protein hair loss.

2. Iron

Iron deficiency is quite common worldwide; it’s the world’s most common nutritional deficiency. Iron deficiency is also a well-known cause of hair loss.

How does iron deficiency cause hair loss?

The exact answer remains unknown. However, low iron disrupts the cells in hair follicles’ ability to rapidly divide and grow (4). What’s more, iron may regulate one or more of the genes identified in hair follicles (5, 6).

Animal studies have shown resolution of iron deficiency leads to restoration of hair growth (7).

Women, vegans, athletes, those who live at high altitudes, individuals with digestive disorders, on high levels of turmeric and ginger supplements, and those taking antacids are all at risk for iron deficiency.

If you suspect you have low iron, you can talk to your doctor and get your serum ferritin levels checked. Optimal serum ferritin is 50-70 ug/dL.

You can also eat red meat from cattle, bison, elk, and venison several times per week.  You should also cook with cast iron cookware. Use iron supplements if needed and recommended by your doctor.

3. Zinc

Zinc is an essential mineral responsible for hundreds of reactions in the body, like protein synthesis, cell division, and hair follicle morphogenesis (8, 9, 10).

Signs of zinc deficiency include diarrhea, poor immune function, and delayed wound healing. Abnormalities in taste and smell may occur.

Typically, individuals with digestive disorders, cancer, pregnant women, patients with alcoholism, those taking certain medications including blood pressure meds, and vegans may be at higher risk (11, 12).

One study found that all 312 participants in hair loss groups had statistically lower zinc concentrations as compared to 30 healthy controls (13). Luckily, hair loss patients with low serum zinc have restored hair growth with supplementation  (14).

If you suspect a zinc deficiency, talk to your doctor. You may resolve the deficiency with a multivitamin or you can take zinc supplement of just 30-50 mg zinc, alongside 1-2 mg copper per day intake. It’s important to look at all supplements, though, and not consume too much zinc since toxic levels also have detrimental effects.

4. Fatty Acids

If you’re in the Keto Zone, you likely aren’t too low in fatty acids! But, for those who eat a low-fat diet, or those who malabsorp fats, you may have hair thinning trouble.

Typically, inadequate fatty acids result in loss of scalp hair and eyebrows as well as lightening of hair (15,16).

To avoid this, eat healthy fats, including omega-3s, omega-9s from olive oil, avocados, nuts, and more, medium-chain triglycerides from MCT Oil Powder, coconut oil, etc.

5. Selenium

Bottom Line

Stay tuned for Part 2 and 3 in this series of Conditions and Nutrient Deficiencies Causing Hair Loss. These first 6 nutrients are important for hair health, growth, and overall wellness. As you eat foods each day, look to a variety of whole foods that provide essential nutrients, including healthy fats, whole-food proteins, nuts, seeds, and vegetables. You can also supplement when needed.

Related: Healthy Aging

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A successful ketogenic diet requires strictly limiting carbohydrate consumption and upping the intake of healthy fats. This allows the metabolism to switch from primarily using glucose (sugar) for fuel to primarily using ketones (fat) for fuel.

This is referred to as ketosis. When the cells begin to burn fat for fuel this includes body fat such as the fat around the belly, thighs, and hips.

So to get into ketosis and shed pounds of body fat, you must eat a ketogenic diet which is a low-carb high-fat (LCHF) diet.

But what about protein? Does it matter how much you eat? And what kind of protein is best for maximum weight loss?

Protein and Weight Loss

A common misconception is that a ketogenic diet is high in protein. The reality, however, is that a ketogenic diet is a moderate protein diet, or maybe even more accurately, an adequate protein diet. In fact, too much protein can actually inhibit your body from entering ketosis thus preventing you from experiencing the myriad of benefits of the diet.

There are many reasons why adequate protein consumption is required for success on a ketogenic diet.

Studies have shown that protein is the most satiating macronutrient while carbohydrate is the least satiating. Therefore, if you eat an adequate amount of protein you will feel more satisfied and be more likely to eat less calories.

Protein is also the most important macronutrient for building and maintaining muscle mass. Muscles burn calories 24/7 even when you are not exercising.

Protein and Ketosis

Proteins are the building blocks of life, they provide the body with all of the essential amino acids. But more is not always better.

When first adopting a ketogenic diet, it is easy to replace carbohydrate rich foods such as grains, starches, and sugar with protein rich foods such as meat, nuts, and cheese. To an extent these can be very helpful substitutions, but it is important not to eat excess protein.

A ketogenic diet deprives the body of its glucose stores and begins metabolizing fat and utilizing ketones for fuel. However, in the absence of dietary carbohydrates, there is a process through which the body can actually generate glucose. This is called gluconeogenesis.

Gluconeogenesis

Gluconeogenesis occurs when protein is consumed in excess of what is required for proper function and maintenance of the body. The liver converts the excess amino acids into glucose to be used for energy. Gluconeogenesis can spike your insulin and reduce the levels of ketones in your blood.

So even when strictly adhering to a low carbohydrate diet, blood sugar levels can remain high due to gluconeogenesis. This can lead to symptoms of the keto flu, which happens both during keto adaptation and when ketosis is abruptly interrupted with excessive blood glucose levels.

Gluconeogenesis is not inherently bad, however. Gluconeogenesis is actually an essential process for healthy ketogenic dieting. The body does require very small amounts of glucose for functioning as some cells are unable to use ketones for fuel. If glucose is not obtained through the diet then the body must convert protein to glucose to meet the needs of the cells.

Gluconeogenesis only becomes a problem when large amounts of protein are broken down into sugar. The metabolic process is quite complicated and produces inflammatory byproducts such as free-radicals

How Much Protein is Right for You?

The amount of dietary protein necessary for you can be determined by body weight and activity level. Those who are physically active naturally have higher protein requirements than those with a more sedentary lifestyle.

If your weight is in pounds, multiply it by 0.6 and 1.0 to get the minimum and maximum amount of protein in grams you should eat each day. If your weight is in kilograms, simply multiply it by 1.3 and 2.2 to get the same range. Athletes and those who are physically active should trend towards the higher end of this range while sedentary individuals should stick to the low end.

Other relevant factors include gender (men need more than women) and age. FInding the sweet spot can be challenging as protein is important for maintaining lean muscle mass but too much will likely take you out of ketosis.

Get in The Keto Zone

A successful ketogenic diet will lead to weight loss, increased energy, and enhanced cognitive function. In order to receive these benefits it is imperative to eat an adequate amount of protein. Not too much, not too little.

This can be achieved by eating a diet that consists mostly of non-starchy vegetables by weight but with most of the calories coming from healthy fats such as avocado, olive oil, grass-fed butter, coconut oil, MCT powder, lard, and tallow. Add in small portions of high quality protein and stop eating when you are full. Healthy sources of protein include grass-fed beef and bison, pasture-raised chicken and turkey, wild game such as venison and elk, wild-caught fish such as sardines and salmon, pasture raised eggs, grass-fed cheese, grass-fed whey protein powder (infrequently in small amounts), and hydrolyzed collagen powder.

If you follow these simple rules you will shed the pounds and feel better than you can have ever imagined!

To learn more about Dr. Colbert’s ketogenic blueprint called The Keto Zone Diet visit www.KetoZone.com where you can find recipes, tips, and products that will enhance your keto experience.

References

https://www.perfectketo.com/much-protein-can-eat-ketogenic-diet/

https://ketodietapp.com/Blog/post/2014/05/20/All-You-Need-to-Know-About-Protein-on-a-Low-Carb-Ketogenic-Diet

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