What your Hair Might Be Saying About Your Diet by Sidona Berhne
The Connection Between Hair and Nutrition
Hair is often viewed as reflection of a personal style and/or health, but its condition may also be an indicator of internal nutritional balance and diet. While external care remains important, the foundation for healthy and thriving hair begins with what the body absorbs and processes daily. This then raises an important question, can what we eat be directly affecting our hair health?
What we eat doesn't only impact our energy and immunity–it’s required to fuel the growth cycle of hair follicles, support cellular repair, and maintain the health of each strand. Our hair is primarily composed of a protein called keratin, and maintaining its growth and repair requires a protein-rich diet that includes foods like poultry, fish, eggs, beans, lentils and nuts. Additionally, key nutrients such as iron, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamins like A, C, D, and E which are found in fruits and vegetables, play essential roles in supporting healthy hair and preventing hair thinning or breakage. With the increasing popularity of supplements and beauty products claiming to boost hair health, it’s worth asking—are we focusing too much on external fixes and overlooking internal ones? Even though nutrition doesn’t offer a one-size-fits-all solution, lasting hair health begins with understanding how our bodies respond to specific nutrients and dietary patterns.
When the body experiences nutrient imbalances, it directs resources to essential organs like our heart, lungs, and brain over hair growth, often resulting in gradual changes like dryness, breakage, or shedding. In some cases, imbalance in nutrients could also lead to hair loss. Crash diets or restrictive eating habits can also disrupt the natural hair cycle, preventing hair growth. In a culture that emphasizes fast-fixes, understanding the connection between hair and nutrition allows us listen to the quieter messages of our body- like those coming from our scalp. In conclusion, could our diet be directly affecting our hair health? Absolutely. Hence, adopting a balanced, nutrient- rich diet will allow hair to thrive naturally and sustainably from within while supporting our overall wellbeing.
References
Guo, E. L., & Katta, R. (2017). Diet and hair loss: effects of nutrient deficiency and supplement use. Dermatology Practical & Conceptual, 7(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.5826/dpc.0701a01
Trueb, R. (2021). “Let food be thy medicine”: Value of nutritional treatment for hair loss. International Journal of Trichology, 13(6), 1. https://doi.org/10.4103/ijt.ijt_124_20