Can You Reverse Balding With Diet?

If you experience significant hair loss, chances are that one of your relatives suffered from pattern baldness and passed the genes responsible for the condition on to you, since the Mayo Clinic notes that most cases of balding are hereditary. Other reasons for balding include poor nutrition, certain diseases and medications, stress and hormonal imbalances. While you can't reverse genetic balding (androgenetic alopecia), temporary hair loss due to poor nutrition can be reversed with the right diet. Make sure to speak to your doctor to rule out any underlying conditions besides diet that may be causing your hair loss.

Step 1

Consume more protein. Hair is made up mostly of keratin, a type of protein. Eat healthy sources of protein, such as lean cuts of meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy products. Vegetarians, according to KidsHealth.org, who may not be getting the proper amounts of protein from their diet can increase their intake of protein-rich soy products, and also eat a wide variety of beans, nuts, seeds, grains and vegetables, all of which contain incomplete proteins on their own, but when combined form complete proteins in the body.

Step 2

Include more Vitamin C sources in your diet. These include leafy dark-green vegetables, citrus fruits, potatoes, tomatoes, berries and peppers. Vitamin C, according to Stop Hair Loss Now, helps the body make collagen, a type of connective tissue that gives hair form and prevents it from damage.

Step 3

Consume adequate amounts of minerals. Copper, iron, magnesium and zinc are important for hair growth, and can be found in such foods as liver, spinach, eggs, nuts and seeds. According to Mother Nature, iron in particular is crucial for hair growth; women who lose too much iron due to heavy menstruation and athletes who lose iron due to intense training may experience temporary--and patchy--baldness.

Step 4

Make sure to consume adequate amounts of B-complex vitamins. These include B6 (whole grains, cereals, nuts and legumes), B12 (eggs, fish and dairy products) and folic acid (wheat germ, orange juice, avocados, and enriched grain foods such as cereals and breads), among others. These vitamins help form hemoglobin in red blood cells, according to Stop Hair Loss Now; hemoglobin carries oxygen to all parts of the body, including hair follicles which use the oxygen to grow hair.

Tip

A regular, balanced diet such as suggested by Drugs.com (see Resources) will provide you with all of the nutrients needed to reverse balding caused by poor diet.